U.S. Denies Iran Report of Bin Laden's Capture

Reuters ^ | Sat Feb 28, 2004 06:44 AM ET | Staff

[Anti-Bubba182]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense denied reports by Iran's official IRNA news agency Saturday that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been captured.

IRNA quoted a story on Iran's state radio Pashtun service which reported "a very reliable source" as saying bin Laden had been captured in a tribal area of Pakistan.

A senior U.S. defense official denied the report, telling Reuters it was "another piece of stray voltage that's passing around out there."

Washington says Bin Laden masterminded the September 11, 2001 suicide hijack attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people.

The Iranian correspondent responsible for the report told Reuters the radio had also reported bin Laden's capture a year ago. But said a new source had told him Friday the al Qaeda leader had been seized "a long time ago."

"It could be one month ago, it could be one year, but he has been arrested," he said.

While declining to reveal his source or how his source knew of the capture, he said: "My source said it and he knows it."

He said the reason U.S. officials had denied the report was so that they could time the release of the news of bin Laden's capture to help boost President Bush's chances of re-election at presidential polls in November.

The U.S. military said this month that U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan were moving toward coordinated operations along the border -- "a hammer and anvil approach" -- to prevent fleeing al Qaeda fighters from escaping simply by crossing from one country into the other.

Pakistan, a key ally in the U.S.-led war on terror, has stepped-up efforts in recent weeks against al Qaeda and Taliban fighters as the 10,600-strong U.S. force in Afghanistan gears up for a spring offensive against Islamic militants.

[Anti-Bubba182]

"The U.S. Department of Defense denied reports by Iran's official IRNA news agency Saturday that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been captured..."

Too bad it wasn't for real!

[F14 Pilot]

Yep, I am gonna be SAD

[TLOne]

The same thing will be said by the Rat's minions when he is captured. It was timed for Bush's election. I don't think that will cause any harm unless we did have him for some extended length of time.

Go Hogs! Beat Taliban!

[NautiNurse]

Heavy sigh from dashed hope...

[wunderkind54]

Ahhhh....rumors!

The nectar upon which the insecure among us feed.

Gets the blood racing a wee bit though, doesn't it?

Let us hope one day this ceases to be a rumor.

[White Eagle]

(Per Reuters) Washington says Bin Laden masterminded the September 11, 2001 suicide hijack attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people.

I must have missed the part where it stopped being generally accepted that OBL was responsible for 911. I suppose if he is captured Reuters will refer to him by some name like John Smith, rather than his Islamic name.

[Neets]

Btt.

[Glenn]

If it isn't on Drudge, I don't bother to check CNN.

[Fitzcarraldo]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_591161,00050002.htm

Kasuri says he cannot confirm reports of Osama's capture

Press Trust of India Islamabad, February 28

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Saturday declined to confirm reports of Osama bin Laden's arrest.

"I cannot confirm it. They (the troops) made an effort (to capture him) but (I) cannot confirm it," Kasuri said at a joint press conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Dominique Devilpan here, when asked about the reports of bin Laden's capture.

[Batrachian]

"Washington says Bin Laden masterminded the September 11, 2001 suicide hijack attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people."

According to Reuters, Osama Bin Laden is guilty of nothing, and Washington says he's behind the attacks. They probably find the Bush AWOL stories more convincing.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

BUMP

[Neets]

HAHAHA!!

Silly drudge....

Please, don't turn me against you so early in our relationship.....

I am really just starting to get to tolerate you.

[KQQL]

"I cannot confirm it. They (the troops) made an effort (to capture him) but (I) cannot confirm it," Kasuri said at a joint press conference with visiting French Foreign Minister Dominique Devilpan here, when asked about the reports of bin Laden's capture.

---

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_591161,00050002.htm

[Chi-townChief]

"He said the reason U.S. officials had denied the report was so that they could time the release of the news of bin Laden's capture to help boost President Bush's chances of re-election at presidential polls in November."

Madeleine Albright reporting.

[Montfort]

Reuters probably thinks all the hijackers were Mossad agents.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Your snide comment is soooo true. Shame on "Roto Reuters."

[putupjob]

BIN LADEN WILL BE CAPTURED THIS YEAR.

The Pentagon is very conservative in their statements. There are times when stories are out and the Pentagon are the last to acknowledge it. I believe the Iran story is false.

HOWEVER, a Pentagon official (I believe it was a general) had stated categorically that Bin Laden would be captured this year. In other words they have him pinned down in a narrow area and there is no way out.

It's only a matter of time (months). The Pentagon would not issue a statement like that with nothing to back it up.

In over words, repeat after me: FOUR MORE YEARS.

[capydick]

Looks like Reuters has taken the lead and allowed itself to be the outfit that set up the accusation of the U.S. holding UBL until the elections in order to boost W's re-election chances.

Dateline: October 6th, 2004:

There have been reports of Bib-Laden's capture as far back as February 28,2004 and is now just being trotted out by Karl Rove to boost the President's lagging poll number's prior to the election. It's been said that the alleged master mind of the freedom fighters who went on the offensive in the United States on September 11th has been held at a secret air base in Hellholeistan since February.

Maddy Albright has been credited with predicting this course of action by the current administration and was insensitively criticised by the right wing in the media for such conspiracy theories. As we now know - she has been proved correct,as her instincts have served the United States well again.

Tom Daschle has called for an Independent Counsel to investigate these charges and to find them to be true prior to Election Day. Further - Sen. Daschle has suggested that former Senator Robert Torricelli, who was set up and rail roaded by the VRWC would make a fine Independent Counsel and has already demanded that President Bush name him before the end of the day.

[Dark Glasses and Corncob Pipe]

Iran! All your captures are belong to US!

[WhiteGuy]

The U.S. Department of Defense denied reports by Iran's official IRNA news agency Saturday that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been captured.


Right, it's far too early in the election year for this type of news...................