Agence France Presse October 18, 2002
Sniper awakens fear of a terrorist attack in Washington
BY PATRICK ANIDJAR
While fear of a new terror attack grips Washington, investigators have been cautious about linking the elusive sniper who has killed nine in the Washington area to a possible terrorist attack by al-Qaeda.
Officially nothing in the investigations allows the connection to be made. But ABC television said Friday that terrorism suspect Nizar Trabelsi, questioned last week in Brussels by FBI, said he had seen "al-Qaeda training a team of three snipers in preparation for an attack on the US." The FBI refused to confirm these allegations.
US officials also admitted having questioned suspected "unlawful combatants" being held at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay about the sniper.
"We have to cover all the bases," an official told AFP on condition of anonymity, while pointing out that this is not a new direction in the investigation.
It is a "logical step" in the case, the official noted.
Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge said "I think the families believe it is (terrorism), the community is terrorized."
"The FBI and no one in the White House has (ruled it out). There is no reason to believe one way or the other" he added.
"It is certainly a possibility" local police spokeswoman Nancy Demme acknowledged Wednesday.
The combination of the investigators' frustration and the lack of a serious lead to feed the media may have led to hasty conclusions.
"The only thing I can guarantee is that Washington is terrorized," terrorism specialist John Pike told AFP.
According to him, it is impossible at this stage to find a link between the sniper and al-Qaeda, but proving the contrary is also difficult.
"I don't know whether the sniper is or is not al-Qaeda, but if you think of what one or two people with a rifle can do, this is terrorism."
He referred to a confession by John Walker Lindh, the American sentenced to 20 years for joining the Taliban. According to Lindh the September 11 attacks were part of a three-step plan.
He added that al-Qaeda had sent 50 people who mastered assault rifles and explosives to lead the terror operations against the United States and Israel.
"Whether or not terrorism is the explanation for this case, a terrorist campaign resembling these killings could well take place in this country soon.
A new kind of enemy is conducting an unprecedented campaign within our borders -- and is, for the moment, winning it," writer Caleb Carr noted in The Washington Post.
But for former FBI special agent Christopher Withcomb, the absence of a serious lead has led investigators and the media to lose track of things.
"This flies in the face of every act of terror al-Qaeda has done in the past" he said.
Copyright 2002 Agence France Presse
