FBI quizzing 12 terror suspects

2003-03-06 12:41

Washington - The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched intensive probes into at least 12 suspected terrorists living in the United States whose names were found in the possession of al-Qaeda leader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday.

Mohammed was arrested by US and Pakistani officials in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi on Saturday.

Citing unnamed officials, the newspaper said they were particularly concerned that operatives connected to Mohammed could be in the United States planning terrorist attacks that the FBI believed might be imminent.

Such operatives might just be awaiting a "go" signal, or the onset of war with Iraq, the report said.

The FBI said in an intelligence bulletin on Wednesday that Mohammed's arrest could prompt a series of retaliatory terrorist attacks in the United States as well, according to the Times.

At the time of his predawn arrest, the al-Qaeda operations chief was believed to be overseeing several planned attacks within the United States, the report said.

Mohammed's arrest prompted a flurry of Central Intelligence Agency and FBI activity after computers, computer disks, cellphones and other electronic gear were found in his possession, the paper reported.

It quotes officials as saying those items contained a trove of information about al-Qaeda, including names and locations.

- AFP