Posted on 07/04/2006 10:42:00 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
NEW YORK - A CIA unit that had hunted for Osama bin Laden and his top deputies for a decade has been disbanded, according to a published report.
Citing unnamed intelligence officials, The New York Times reported Tuesday that the unit, known as "Alec Station," was shut down late last year. The decision to close the unit, which predated the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was first reported Monday by National Public Radio.
The officials told the Times that the change reflects a view that al-Qaida's hierarchy has changed, and terrorist attacks inspired by the group are now being carried out independently of bin Laden and his second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
The CIA said hunting bin Laden remains a priority, but resources needed to be directed toward other people and groups likely to initiate new attacks.
"The efforts to find Osama bin Laden are as strong as ever," said CIA spokeswoman Jennifer Millerwise Dyck. "This is an agile agency, and the decision was made to ensure greater reach and focus."
A former CIA official who once led the unit, Michael Scheuer, told the Times that its shutdown was a mistake.
"This will clearly denigrate our operations against al-Qaida," he said. "These days at the agency, bin Laden and al-Qaida appear to be treated merely as first among equals."
An undated picture shows Al-Qaeda's fugitive leader Osama bin Laden. US government officials said they had no reason to doubt the authenticity of the most recent message from bin Laden, which accused Iraqi Shiites of waging "genocide" against Sunnis.(AFP/HO/File)
Thank god, they were only hunting for the President's head anyway.
Now maybe someone will find him.
"al-Qaida's hierarchy has changed, and terrorist attacks inspired by the group are now being carried out independently of bin Laden and his second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri."
Changed is weak... how about severely damaged his abilities thanks to George W. Bush....
MSM proudly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
BWHAHAHAHA.... "agile"... at what? leaks to journalists without getting arrested? not being accountable for failure? wrapping themselves in a cocoon? keeping "secrets" that Americans can find on Google now?
Aha!!! This must be the deal Mrs. Zarqawi was referring to!
"A CIA unit that had hunted for Osama bin Laden and his top deputies for **a decade** has been disbanded, according to a published report."
Yup, that "agile" CIA, according to the spokeswoman, finally deciding that the unit (or more accurately, the people who made up the unit) needed a rework, since after 10 years they were apparently going nowhere.
Assuming, of course, that this isn't CIA disinformation the breathlessly anti-Bush NYT believes and prints to do their best to take another shot at him...
The picture is pretty old. And as for "waging genocide" - more power to them. Let the shia genocide the sunnis, and the sunnis genocide the shias. After them both are finished, the remaining Kurdistan might turn out to be something more ot less decent.
It's because he's sleeping on Karl Rove's couch.
What's the point of looking for him?
He is in Northern Pakistan and no on has the guts to go after him there because it would start a civil war in a country with nuclear weapons.
We don't have what it takes to fight this war as it should be fought. We're soft...not individually, but as a nation.
why is it treasonous??
obviously this unit failed miserably- even prior to the 9/11 attacks when bin laden was giving press conferences and out in the open....
they should've been disbanded/fired/restructered years ago....ditto of most of the CIA.
Is this another leak again????
Did the anonymous "unnamed intelligence officials" have the authority to disclose this information? Details like this were classified for thirty or more years after WWII.
The New York Times just couldn't let Independence Day pass without yet another leak...that can hurt our national security...
My first thought, though..was that this might be deliberate misinformation...KNOWING it would be leaked...I hope.
Well coming from the NYT it's impossible to tell if it's believable or not , or if it's disinformation or not . I can't see the NYT doing anything to help the U.S.
It would be funny if the Administration starts utilizing the NYT leak machine to leak false stories and disinformation unwittingly though .
What a pity -- they did such a fine job of not finding him.
Exactly...Have this story "leaked" to them, knowing it would be printed...just to get OBL to let his guard down??
Is OBL that stupid???
"..al-Qaida's hierarchy has changed,"
I think he's dead,and it's an impersonator that's been doing his voice recordings. Unless these latest clips of him have been on video--which I haven't seen yet.
Our government is confirming it's him, to cover their rears, in case it's him. IMO
"Is OBL that stupid???"
I doubt it , but the NYT is ...
The NYT could actually unwittingly make themselves useful and not even know they're being used ..That would be poetic justice
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