U.S. posts wrong photo of ‘al-Qaida operative’

[htuttle]

After year and a half, wrong man's photo removed from wanted page

WASHINGTON - United States intelligence agencies have been hunting for one of al-Qaida's most notorious members - an expert in poisons and lethal chemicals. But NBC News has learned they have been trying to find him by using a photo of the wrong man on his wanted poster.

For a year and a half, the U.S. government has been asking for the public's help in finding Midhat Mursi al-Sayid 'Umar, also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri, a dangerous al-Qaida operative. But now intelligence officials admit to NBC News they were using a photo of a different man.

(snip)

NBC News noticed that the photo seemed to bear a striking resemblance to a radical London imam, Abu Hamza Al-Masri. NBC then located an early television interview with the imam, and compared it with the wanted poster. There are similarities: the unusual white patch of hair, the fold of the shirt collar and the strip of white over his shoulder.

(snip)

After NBC news shared its findings with the CIA, a CIA spokesman then admitted a “human error” and said, at some point, an “incorrect photo” was provided for the Web site. However, the official insists all other intelligence on Abu Khabab is accurate.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11042211/

[htuttle]

1. To add: This was the guy who they say they killed in Pakistan recently

...though they don't seem to know what he looks like...His 'wanted page' now just has an empty silouhette...


But they're sure they got him!


:eyes:

[pinniped]

2. I doubt it was an error.

.

[ECH1969]

3. Damn they look similar

[htuttle]

4. No, those ARE the same guy -- just the WRONG guy

The photo on the government's website (pic on left) was apparently captured from the video shown on the right.

It's a video of Abu Hamza Al-Masri, not Abu Khabab al-Masri. They apparently do not have any photos of Abu Khabab al-Masri (who they say they got with a missile recently...).

[ECH1969]

5. Here is what it said under the picture

Left: The U.S. posted photo of ‘Abu Khabab al-Masri’. Right: TV interview photo of Islamic preacher Abu Hamza al-Masri.

[htuttle]

6. Yes I did - read more carefully

The US posted photo and the TV interview photo are obviously the same guy, in fact, the photo the US posted was obviously taken from the same video.

HOWEVER, as NBC pointed out on the nightly newscast tonight, it was a video of a different guy, not the one they said it was.

[badgerpup]

7. now I'm confused...

Which #2 guy was he?

[rodeodance]

8. oops