CIA: ABCNEWS is Lying About Bin Laden Escape to Pakistan

Central Intelligence Agency ^ | January 15, 2002 | Bill Harlow

[Timesink]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15 January 2002

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Statement by CIA Spokesman Bill Harlow on ABC News Report

ABC News reported on the evening of January 14 that the CIA believes that Usama bin Laden has "escaped from Afghanistan and has gone beyond Pakistan," most likely by sea.  This is incorrect.  We have reached no such conclusion.  ABC did not contact the Agency about this allegation before airing it.

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[Timesink]

'Nuff said.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

Perhaps we want Bin Laden to think that we think he's left Afghanistan?

[anniegetyourgun]

ABC makin' stuff up again?

[My Favorite Headache]

ABC=

Absolute

Bull

Crap

[anniegetyourgun]

Or maybe we want Afghanistan to think Binny left the country?

[dighton]

Worth resetting in big type:

ABC did not contact the Agency about this allegation before airing it.

[christianswindler]

Perhaps we want Bin Laden to think that we think he's left Afghanistan?

I think so. That is to say I think that the CIA thinks it wants Bin Laden to think that we think he's left Afghanistan. But I also think that he might be dead already.

[BamaDi]

abc making up stuff???? nah....

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

But I also think that he might be dead already.

I've been thinking the same thing. I wonder if Bin Laden is still cocky enough to make video tapes of himself for the world to see that he's still alive (if indeed he is still alive).

Interesting screenname. May I ask what it means?

[The G Man]

"most likely by sea"

Uh, oh ... hope Andy Rooney don't see this.

[cantfindagoodscreenname]

ABC did not contact the Agency about this allegation before airing it.

Funny you should mention this. They didn't call me last time they told the viewers what women think about abortion. I think I see a pattern here, lol.

[Cicero]

ABC, NBC, CBS.

Question: Which one is the worst?

[Jhoffa_]

All the news that's fit to spin..

[Savage Beast]

Does anyone take ABCCBSNBCCNN seriously? Do people really watch this stuff?

[eclectic]

We have reached no such conclusion

I know what has happened. CIA backs away from the negative publicity on FR (see the thread CIA: BIN LADEN ESCAPED)

[JeepInMazar]

Since when does the CIA issue press releases about their activities and information?

[Ditto]

Perhaps we want Bin Laden to think that we think he's left Afghanistan?

or perhaps we want him to think we think that so he'll go back there, or perhaps we want him to think we want him to go back there when we really want him to go to MacAuthor Park for his birthday cake before it melts in the rain --- or whatever.

Bottom line is that ABC doesn't know anymore than we know and the CIA isn't going to say what they know. They never do --- that's their job.

[Rain-maker]

Hey guys and dolls, I saw him surfin' with the Big Kahuna in Maui yestersday...

[MJY1288]

I would bet OBL has been on ice for several weeks,. The CIA is smart enough to know that if we were to announce that OBL was dead, captured or sexually assualted to death by donkeys, our liberal Press would insist on ending the mission to rid the world of these animals

[Urbane_Guerilla]

A total guess on OBL would be ... he is dead ... we pretty much or absolutely know he is dead ... and we are happy to keep his probable or definite death a guessing game for two reasons:

One: we do not want the inevitable letdown, and loss of will to complete the war job, if the public knew he were dead; and

Two: we like having the Moslem "street" confused as to who might be their leader.

In the alternative, we know he is alive, and we know where he is, but keep it a guessing game for two reasons:

One: we want to follow his movements and contacts; and

Two: we like having the Moslem "street" confused as to who might be their leader.

It is almost impossible that we do not know his actual fate. And it is wonderful that we keep it a secret.