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US Officials See No Sniper Link To Terror Group
Reuters/Yahoo ^ | 10-20-2002

Posted on 10/20/2002 11:28:08 AM PDT by blam

U.S. Officials See No Sniper Link to Terror Group

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Top U.S. officials said on Sunday authorities were investigating but had found no evidence to link a string of deadly sniper attacks in the Washington area to international terror groups.

Secretary of State Colin Powell , appearing on "Fox News Sunday," said it was conceivable but unproven that the attacks were connected to the al Qaeda organization of Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden , which the United States has blamed for last year's Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

"Obviously, it's conceivable, but I have seen no evidence to tie this terrible series of attacks in the Washington area to al Qaeda," Powell said. "We're looking for every possible connection, but so far I've not seen anything that does tie it to al Qaeda."

Powell and other officials spoke following what appeared to be a 12th attack by the gunman who has encircled the nation's capital since Oct. 2 with random shootings that have killed nine people and injured two.

A shooting on Saturday night in Ashland, Virginia, prompted another massive manhunt and dragnet of highways. Hundreds of local, state and federal officials are pursuing the killer, who appears to pick victims at random and has struck with a high-velocity rifle in Washington and neighboring suburbs in Maryland and Virginia.

President Bush 's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice , told CBS' "Face the Nation" officials were vigorously looking for a link between the sniper and terror groups but had found none.

"There's no evidence to this point that this is the work of an international terrorist organization," Rice said. "We are of course keeping open that possibility and we're going to turn over every rock to see if it might in fact be."

On CNN's "Late Edition," Rice said investigators were sent to the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to interview suspected al Qaeda detainees from Afghanistan about the sniper shootings.

Rice also said no claim of responsibility for the shootings had been made and Bush was being briefed daily.

"But there is no evidence at this point that this is internationally driven in any way," Rice said.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle told the Fox program he was frustrated by the case and suggested the FBI and federal authorities do more to help solve it.

"Whether or not it's international, it is terror," the South Dakota Democrat said. "It is striking at the hearts and minds of people in this whole area, changing the way we live and the way we act and the way we think."

"We need to meld forces here and do all that we can to ... apprehend this criminal," Daschle said. "It is not only a concern for our children and our families and the way we live, but a frustration about our inability, with all the resources we have in law enforcement, not to be able to ... find him."


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; US: Maryland; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: group; link; officials; sniper; terror; us
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1 posted on 10/20/2002 11:28:08 AM PDT by blam
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To: blam
They also said this about the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
"Oh its just a couple of reckless criminals"

Yeah right, this is terrorists, and everybody knows it.
2 posted on 10/20/2002 11:30:56 AM PDT by ConservativeMan55
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To: blam
How can they say that? They haven't caught the perp yet, US officals BLAH.
3 posted on 10/20/2002 11:32:45 AM PDT by boomop1
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To: blam
Don't they realise their credibility is in the dumper?

At least admit the possibity...or the FBI is just visiting Gitmo for the weather.

Doesn't have to be alqaeda to be terror; anyone of a dozen islamist terror groups will do.

As it is, all US government spokesmen are basically LYING in my book, including Powell and Rice.
4 posted on 10/20/2002 11:34:02 AM PDT by swarthyguy
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To: blam
, but a frustration about our inability, with all the resources we have in law enforcement, not to be able to ... find him."

Yeah, Tommy Boy, we'd have alot more resources if you had passed the homeland securtity bill.

5 posted on 10/20/2002 11:37:14 AM PDT by Eva
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To: blam
I have seen no evidence does not mean there is no evidence does it?
6 posted on 10/20/2002 11:38:10 AM PDT by ladyinred
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To: blam
I suppose this is true, but it's unfortunate.

"There's no evidence," according to Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice.

That was one of clinton's very favorite sayings. First he would delay and obstruct, then he would shred and delete, then he would lose a few hard drives, then there would be a few Arkancides, and finally he would truthfully point out, "There's no evidence."

If there's REALLY no evidence, maybe they should just keep their mouths shut. But let's keep in mind that the witness who said he got a good look at the van driver when he tried to pull into his lane, and described him as a small, angry-looking, "Middle Easterner," was NOT the same witness as the felon who was discredited for making up a story about broken tail lights, a cream colored van, and an AK-74. The real witness said he got a good look at the man and would recognize him again. And that he was Middle Eastern.

7 posted on 10/20/2002 11:38:30 AM PDT by Cicero
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To: Eva
"Yeah, Tommy Boy, we'd have alot more resources if you had passed the homeland securtity bill."

He's been busy with 'kitchen table' issues.

8 posted on 10/20/2002 11:39:37 AM PDT by blam
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To: ladyinred
Something tells me (if it were ME terror cell connected) the DOJ and others would have already done a rundown on all their suspects. They seem to be doing a good job of identifying these folks thus far.
9 posted on 10/20/2002 11:41:17 AM PDT by anniegetyourgun
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To: blam
Powell is saying that only up till right now they don't see conclusive evidence.

In other words the door is wide open and they're still investigating all the possibilities...

And, they don't want to panic the American public.
10 posted on 10/20/2002 12:06:51 PM PDT by I_Love_My_Husband
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To: blam
Chief Moose and the Feds protecting America


Moose gives his orders to the coppers


Special agents ride Interstate I-95 ever watchful


Damn! He shot and got away again
<P
11 posted on 10/20/2002 12:38:06 PM PDT by LoneRangerMassachusetts
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To: blam
"But there is no evidence at this point that this is internationally driven in any way"

Well then Condi, "why is the FBI, military, and other alaphabet agencies involved in the investigation ?" If you believe your own words, then this should be a matter for local law enforcement and the National Guard. The government is afraid of saying or doing anything that would induce panic, necessitating martial law, but that has already occured so what's the problem ?

A terrorist(s) is on the loose. The terrorist(s) is randomly selecting and killing people with sniper attacks. It matters not to the families and friends of the victims or the rest of the population doing the Maryland shuffle, where he gets his allowance from.

Draw intersecting lines between all the sites of the attacks and the mosques. Superimpose the map of the shooting sites on top of the map of the mosques. Very interesting patterns develop.

12 posted on 10/20/2002 12:41:55 PM PDT by SSN558
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To: swarthyguy
Can you read and understand simple sentences? Doesn't seem like it. Both Powell and Rice DID admit the possibility.

Sheesh. People are going to throw a little tantrum any time anyone official says anything other than "Despite no evidence at all to that effect, it clearly has to be Muslim terrorists" because they so desperately WANT the sniper to be a Muslim terrorist.
13 posted on 10/20/2002 1:01:12 PM PDT by John H K
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To: SSN558
Wait....you've got a sniper crossing and re-crossing state lines, and you wouldn't have the FBI with a role in the investigation, even if it wasn't connected to international terrorism?


The panic issue is silly, as people find the idea of a lone domestic nut randomly killing people MORE terrifying than an AQ operative randomly killing people; it's a lot easier to imagine this being prevented in the future if it's an AQ operative; close borders, bomb some countries, etc.

If it's a lone domestic nut it could happen again and there's basically nothing to do to stop it.
14 posted on 10/20/2002 1:03:44 PM PDT by John H K
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To: I_Love_My_Husband
"In other words the door is wide open and they're still investigating all the possibilities... And, they don't want to panic the American public."

That's the way I read it too.

15 posted on 10/20/2002 1:06:39 PM PDT by blam
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To: ladyinred
"I have seen no evidence" does not mean there is no evidence, does it?

Depends on what the meaning of the word is, is.

16 posted on 10/20/2002 1:09:11 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: John H K
Cut 'em some slack. Or don't you recall how the DOT initially said Richard Reid wasn't a terrorist and was acting alone (though he wasn't a terrorist mind you)...Really inspires confidence, stuff like that.
17 posted on 10/20/2002 1:11:10 PM PDT by mewzilla
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To: John H K
You and I and others may think the panic issue is silly-that one solution you mentioned about the borders,yeah that'll happen,maybe if our death toll hits tha millions-however those in power seem traditionally more worried about upheaval among the masses than much else in certain instances.Probably because said upheaval could possibly be more threatening to their power than a sniper or a plane crash.
18 posted on 10/20/2002 1:11:33 PM PDT by John W
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To: Cicero
If they made any kind of statement in favor of the realm of possibility that it WAS Islamic Terrorism, the very US Federal Government which promotes the Ad Council "I AM AN AMERICAN"

would be defeating itself and admitting it was wrong in accepting people into this country from too many damn directions, with little control and very little skepticism questioning their motives.

To accept it is terrorism from abroad now in our midst shoots down the whole diversity sham, shoes off-at-the-mosque "Religion of Peace" idiotic photo ops, and other bastions of entrenched Political Correctness thinking that occupies the entirety of the Democratic party and significant sectors of leadership of the Republican party as well.

Sad to say.

19 posted on 10/20/2002 1:16:22 PM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
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To: LoneRangerMassachusetts
I'd be happy to see Moose construct a proper English sentence.

Regarding the feds, well, there's the epitome of incompetence.
20 posted on 10/20/2002 1:17:27 PM PDT by Abar
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