From the source...
http://www.iribnews.com/Full_en.asp?news_id=199416&n=31 2004/02/28
Iran's radio says Bin Laden captured
03:30:37 È.Ù
Tehran, Feb 28 - Iran's state radio has quoted an informed source as saying that Osama Bin Laden had been captured in a tribal region in Pakistan.
The radio's external service, broadcast in Pushtun, said US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's trip to Pakistan on Thursday had been made in connection with the capture.
The radio said, "the capture of the Al-Qaeda leader has been made sometime before, but (US President George W.) Bush is intending to announce it when the American presidential election is held."
Contacted by IRNA, an IRIB announcer at the Pusthtun service, confirmed the news, which he said, they had got from a 'very reliable source' in Peshawar, Pakistan.
"Osama Bin Laden has been arrested a long time ago, but (US President George W.) Bush is intending to use it for propaganda maneuvering in the presidential election," he said.
Osama's head on a platter is believed to be a big boost to Bush's presidential chances, which are increasingly being eclipsed by Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry.
The Saudi-born dissident is accused of masterminding the September 11, 2001 attacks on American landmarks in New York and Washington.
Visiting Kabul on Thursday, Rumsfeld said he believes Osama will be caught, but has no idea when.
v.m
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My Farsi is a little rusty, but to the Iranian state controlled news agency...
"Fekr nemikonam intorbasheh eshtebah mikoni."
I was taught that phase back in the early seventies by Iranian college students (prior to the overthrow of the Shah). It means "I don't believe you, I think you are incorrect" or words to that effect.
Osama bin Laden was not capured in Pakistan. We happen to know he was captured in western Iran on 20 January 2004 by US Special Forces.
>The radio said, "the capture of the Al-Qaeda leader has been made sometime before, but (US President George W.) Bush is intending to announce it when the American presidential election is held."<
Sounds like disinformation by the Iranians in an attempt to sabotage Bush's reelection campaign.
Until confirmed by the administration it's just another rumor.
>My Farsi is a little rusty, but to the Iranian state controlled news agency...<
If you're posting from Iran or thereabout, what are the local media saying about this news? Is it a rumor or is it legit?
>Osama bin Laden was not capured in Pakistan. We happen to know he was captured in western Iran on 20 January 2004 by US Special Forces.<
January 20! And who is WE?
If you're in the Paki/Afghanistan area, please tell us what you hear. We'd like to know direct accounts of this story.
Even 1-20 is after you declared him caught, so these folks still aren't up to you.
U.S. Hunt for Bin Laden Gathers Steam
2 hours, 18 minutes ago
By KATHERINE PFLEGER SHRADER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The United States is rounding up and questioning the relatives of fugitive al-Qaida leaders to generate information on the possible whereabouts of Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) and his top deputies. This tactic helped lead to Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s capture.
On Saturday, Pentagon (news - web sites) and Pakistani officials denied an Iranian state radio report that bin Laden had been captured "a long time ago" in Pakistan's border region with Afghanistan (news - web sites).
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040229/ap_on_re_as/us_bin_laden&cid=516&ncid=716