Capture of Sept. 11 Figure Very Significant -U.S. (CIA Involved in Capture))

Reuters ^ | 3/01/03

[kattracks]

Sat March 1, 2003 03:34 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The capture of suspected Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is "extraordinarily significant" because he is critical to planning future assaults on the United States, a senior U.S. official said on Saturday.

"He's the senior-most al Qaeda guy to be captured yet," the official told Reuters.

"He was critical to not only the planning for the September 11, 2001, attacks but also is central to the planning for future attacks, so his capture is extraordinarily significant," he said.

Pakistan said it had arrested Mohammed on Saturday in a major breakthrough in the international crackdown against Osama bin Laden's network.

Although some reports suggested the FBI teamed up with Pakistan to make the capture, U.S. officials said the Central Intelligence Agency was the American agency involved.

[kms61]

There's no way of knowing who was involved. Could have been any number of military and/or civilian agencies, some of whom we've nver heard of. And just because somebody carries a particular set of credentials on one operation doesn't mean they'll be carrying the same set on the next operation.

Frankly, it doesn't matter. In fact it would have been better public relations wise to let the Pakistanis take the whole credit for this....and as far as we know, that might be the way it really went down anyway.

The bad guy was apprehended, and that's what counts. I think the "Loose Lips Sink Ships" mantra can get a little overblown on FR, but in this case it's probably warranted. The folks who were involved know who they are; the rest of us don't need to.

[reformedliberal]

What will the Dems say now?

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FWIW, the ones we know are muttering:"Let's get it(war) over with, already."

[JustPiper]

This guy had a 25 million dollar bounty and was mastermind for 911, the Cole and the bombings in Africa.

[The Great Satan]

Daschle became even more irrelevant today, if such a thing can be imagined.

[TomB]

I'm glad SOMEBODY got it.

(rodneydangerfield)Tough room, tough room.(/rodney)

[NittanyLion]

LOL! Nice...