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.

[Publius Maximus]

There are good national security reasons to put a lid on his capture - namely, the possibility that some cells are instructed to strike when/if OBL is captured.

The argument that he's holding for maximum impact is silly but even if it is true, it would not trump the fact that we caught him - which would seriously impair Kerry's ability to make the case for kissing Kofi's ass in order to win the war on Terror.

[Jonathon Spectre]

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

How much confirmation do we have? One guy says that some other guy told him? Okay, RUN WITH IT!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

[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," ]

Hmmmmmmm......

[Redcloak]

[FreeReign]

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.

(My bold -- Reuters punchline)

So Reuters delivers the punchline of this story, by using an unnamed *and* unquoted source, talking to an unnamed "Iranian correspondent".

Notice how the quote marks disappear from this article for the all-important boost-the-reelection-chances, punchline.

[GirlShortstop]

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.

Great point!  Reuters' subtleties are quite a sight, aren't they?!  This news item boils down to "I heard that he heard, that he heard...".  It's hard to believe Reuters is actually *in* the news business.  blech!   FReegards.

[Grampa Dave]

Jayson Blair when interviewed this week stated: "I was not ready to give up cocaine though. ... After all, some of my best stories were inspired by drug-­fueled writing." Reuters must employ a lot Jayson Blair clones to write their fantasy BS posing as news stories.

[DoctorZIn]

Sounds like the Mullahs think we are about to capture Osama Bin Laden.

Most Iranians believe the Mullahs of Iran's existence depends on Bush's defeat in November. Therefore they need to help Kerry (who has said he will repair relations with these terror masters. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1077998/posts

By preemptively claiming we have had Osama in custody for a long time they are trying to provide the Democrats with an argument that his "capture date" was a lie and the announcement of the capture "politically motivated."

If we do capture Osama soon, the Mullahs will use this charge of a US conspiracy re: Osama to create doubts about the US on a whole range of issues, most importantly Iran's nuclear weapons development program.

By the way, perhaps the most powerful Mullah of Iran said yesterday: ""All the world-known and notorious terrorists are made with US money, support and experience," he said in his Friday sermon, broadcast live on state radio." http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1087255/posts?page=5#5

So much for Iranian credibility.

[DoctorZIn]

Join Us At Today's Iranian Alert Thread – The Most Underreported Story Of The Year!

Click on the link above!

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail DoctorZin”

[FRgal4u]

We need to time the capture at the right time!

Capturing OBL now will be less positive than a capture, say Sept/Oct. this fall.

I am all for the capture and the killing of OBL, Omar and the rest of the thugs, tming is everything. The capture of Saddam doomed the Dean candidacy and will the capture of OBl doomed the dims this fall..hehehe...

BTW, did anyone notice how the media not talking about iraqi casualties anymore, I hope I am not jinxing this, but I notice we have a lot less losses of our troops in Iraq. Maybe there is real improvements there, send a prayer to our troops in that region.

The media is pounding on Jobs, deficits blah blah - I suppose a good jobs report, say 200-300K jobs created in a month (plus no more manufacturing job losses) will crush these media hypsters. My contacts in the midwest is telling me the tool shops are humming, no longer find enogh temp workers or overtime to match demand, finding difficulties to source the raw materials on time (like steel) - all signs of a boom coming. I just hope the boom come in at just the right time.

[FreeReign]

This news item boils down to "I heard that he heard, that he heard...". It's hard to believe Reuters is actually *in* the news business. blech!

LOL, Reuters is so pathetic -- it's funny.

[FreeReign]

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

You WhiteGuy, and Reuters and the unnamed Iranian correspondent and the unnamed source of the Iranian correspondent all have one thing in common and it isn't your color.

You're not objective.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

We lost 4 Soldiers last week, 2 in car accidents, 2 in a helicopter accident. It is, and continues to be, imho, a miracle how much good our awesome troops are doing, with so few casualties - weekly, every week for over 11 months now.

From my homepage:

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The largest troops rotation in history is underway. Roughly 130,000 US troops are going home, to be replaced by 110,000 arriving troops.   ''Already, as many as 4,000 trucks are on the road between Kuwait and Iraq at any moment," according to Army Brig. Gen. Jack Stoltz, who directs movement of troops and distribution of equipment...to grow to 60,000 by mid-March.

 

We lost four brave Soldiers due to accidents last week: 2/21-2/27...in a nation the size of California ~ with over 23 million newly freed Iraqi citizens  ~ with our troops on dangerous raids and on patrol, removing bad guys from the streets daily with help from our coalition, civilian, and Iraqi allies...in the middle of this longsuffering nation, on top of a giant weapons cache, during wartime, during the biggest rotation of troops in history, with over 110,000 US troops in Iraq....May God continue to protect our troops and allies ~ in Iraq ~ and around the world. God bless America! 

 

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[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[mupcat]

Love the last image on your profile page of President Bush. It's dark, but so great! Where did you find it?
Mupcat

[Action-America]

DUH!

Of course he wasn't captured!

When I first read that, I knew that it wasn't possible. Anyone with an IQ above that of the average journalist (roughly the same as a lab rat and one that has been the subject of a few too many experiments, at that) should know that it couldn't possibly happen now. It's not close enough to the election!

They already have a pretty good idea where he is, but I don't look for a push into that area until late August or early September, with a view toward capture in early to mid October. It's the power of incumbency and it should not be surprising, when it happens. Both parties have used the Presidency like that since shortly after timely news reporting became broadly available.

I would like to see bin Laden captured sooner, rather than later. But, I doubt that there are more than 10 elected officials in all of DC, who would not let the tail wag the dog on this issue, to give themselves a big boost, in the final weeks leading up to the election and Dubya is certainly not one of them.

 

[SunStar]

Washington says Bin Laden masterminded the September 11, 2001 suicide hijack attacks in the United States

MEDIA BIAS

[zarman]

Bin Laden is in IRAN...this is misinformation by the government of IRAN to deflect suspicion and they don't mind energizing democrats rumors to hurt Bush..

[admiralsn]

Yep, I am gonna be SAD

There Will be some DUmmies that are, in fact, sad when he is captured because they know that Bush will reap the benefits. Just like there some DUmmies that were sad when 9-11 happened- but not because we were attacked, but rather because Bush' popularity rose. They are truly twisted.

[SunkenCiv]

Iranian media also reported this:

Iranian News Agency Alleges Presidential Candidate John Kerry Sends Email Message

According to an article published in the Tehran Times, the office of U.S. Senator and leading Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry sent an email message to the Mehr News Agency. The following is the article as it appeared in English : [1]

"The office of Senator John Kerry, the frontrunner in the Democratic presidential primary in the U.S., sent the Mehr News Agency an email saying that Kerry will try to repair the damage done by the incumbent president if he wins the election. The text of the e-mail follows:

"'As Americans who have lived and worked extensively overseas, we have personally witnessed the high regard with which people around the world have historically viewed the United States. Sadly, we are also painfully aware of how the actions and the attitudes demonstrated by the U.S. government over the past three years have threatened the goodwill earned by presidents of both parties over many decades and put many of our international relationships at risk.

"'It is in the urgent interests of the people of the United States to restore our country's credibility in the eyes of the world. America needs the kind of leadership that will repair alliances with countries on every continent that have been so damaged in the past few years, as well as build new friendships and overcome tensions with others.

"'We are convinced that John Kerry is the candidate best qualified to meet this challenge. Senator Kerry has the diplomatic skill and temperament as well as a lifetime of accomplishments in [the] field of international affairs. He believes that collaboration with other countries is crucial to efforts to win the war on terror and make America safer.

"'An understanding of global affairs is essential in these times, and central to this campaign. Kerry has the experience and the understanding necessary to successfully restore the United States to its position of respect within the community of nations. He has the judgment and vision necessary to assure that the United States fulfills a leadership role in meeting the challenges we face throughout the world.

"'The current Administration's policies of unilateralism and rejection of important international initiatives, from the Kyoto Accords to the Biological Weapons Convention, have alienated much of the world and squandered remarkable reserves of support after 9/11. This climate of hostility affects us all, but most especially impacts those who reside overseas. Disappointment with current U.S. leadership is widespread, extending not just to the corridors of power and politics, but to the man and woman on the street as well.

"'We believe John Kerry is the Democrat who can go toe-to-toe against the current Administration on national security and defense issues. We also remain convinced that John Kerry has the best chance of beating the incumbent in November, and putting America on a new course that will lead to a safer, more secure, and more stable world.'"