U.S. Denies Iran Report of Bin Laden's Capture

[Mobius]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Defense denied reports by Iran's official IRNA news agency on 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 on 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.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20040228/ts_nm/iran_alqaeda_report_dc


So, what do you guys make of this? Think the US might have captured BinLaden up to a year ago? I know this report says the US DoD denies this, but Rumsfeld telling the truth about this? I doubt that very much.

[hang a left]

1. I think they have him. It is interesting though, it would seem

the Democratic nominee, whoever that may be, has a little help from outside of the United States. And on Yahoo nonetheless.

[seventhson]

2. This one sentence says it all

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.


October surprise.

This story needs to be spread around far and wide.

Obviously if he has been captured, then there are those who know. They would all be sworn to secrecy and they would have to be of sworn allegience to Bush (or under penalty of violating "security" classifications etc.

The only way anyone who knows will speak is if the story is OUT already.

Look, like with Saddam, the story leaked that he had been held for some time by the Kurds.

Mission impossible scenarios abound here.

He could be locked in a vault at the pentagon for all we know.

But he will be trotted out for a heinous perp walk when needed. Probably in October.

We should try to smoke the story out before that.

Many Voters and Citizens are stupid and have short memories. They are led by the media. Only if the media poicks this up will it resonate.

They will remember if they hear that Osama's been captured, though.

So we must repeat the meme.

Bush got Osama and is saving him for the election


Repeat at least ten times a day!

[eaprez]

3. If The Public

....were to fall for that "Bin Ladin's in custody so I vote Bush" then quite frankly...they deserve four more years of him. So what, they have him? Does that translate into jobs, improved economy, healthcare, etc?

[Pobeka]

9. Bush got Osama and is saving him for the election.

1 down, 9 to go.

I've thought this too -- we can't allow the October surprise. We must out this story long before October so it will be obvious that * is using the capture for politics, and politics alone.

[ixion]

4. timing is everything...

As with everything else about the Bush cabal, they want to maintain the charade.

Rolling bin Laden out too early will cause the temporary bump in the Boy King's popularity to peak too soon. The only way Bush has ever managed to keep his popularity up is with stunts such as this.

[SiriusLiberal]

5. Send it to everyone you know.

I just sent this story and the link to everyone in my address book. Everyone should be aware of this just in case there is an October suuprise.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi TeachLeft!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Aidoneus]

6. alternate headline: "Iran denies Iran report of Bin Laden's capture"

the Pushtun-language service made the claim, later the Arab-language service said "WTF?"..

[Mobius]

7. If anyone can find more on this topic,

Id greatly appreciate it. I posted this story as a red flag for SOME kind of hyjinx , be it true or just a stunt by the press. I wish I could get the name of the reporter that had the "source", and would really like to know who the source is. I feel this story needs a little digging, I just don't think it would be complete bunk. This smells more like a scoop to me. I guess we shall see.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

8. Thanks to our troops for catching Bin Laden!

Vote Kucinich and bring them home in 90 days and give them a raise.

[59millionmorons]

10. I think these stories hurt Bush

One it keeps reminding people that he has not gotten Osama dead or alive and two, if you keep getting these reports, people start to get used to the idea that he has been caught so when he actually does get caught it lessons the impact.