[Nettime-bold] Why the US never before went after Bin Laden?

["Ivo Skoric" <ivo@reporters.net>]

For about 8 years it was vaguely known that Osama Bin Laden is 
behind the violent actions against Americans abroad - yet there 
was no action against him?! Meanwhile, some Arab countries 
started looking for him long before the US...
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Interpol Chief Hails Arab Cooperation on Terrorism

RTos 22/10/2001 11:38 


Copyright 2001 Reuters Ltd.  All rights reserved.
The following news report may not be republished or redistributed, in whole 
or in part, without the prior written consent of Reuters Ltd.
 
    TUNIS, Tunisia (Reuters) - Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble 
praised Arab nations Monday for their cooperation in the fight against 
terrorism.
     Noble, addressing a conference of Arab police chiefs in Tunis, said Arab 
countries had been working closely with the international police organization 
to combat terrorism long before the attacks last month on the World Trade 
Center and the Pentagon.
     "You and Interpol member countries have been fighting terrorism long 
before Sept. 11...The first arrest warrant against (Saudi-born militant 
Osama) bin Laden did not come from the United States but from Libya in 1998," 
he said.
     "The arrest warrant against (bin Laden lieutenant Ayman) Zawahri first 
came from Egypt and not the United States."
     The United States blames bin Laden and his al Qaeda network for the 
Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington that killed nearly 5,400 people.
     Noble told reporters after his speech: "Time and time again since Sept. 
11, I've been asked what is the level of cooperation between Arab countries 
and Interpol. I answer the same wherever I am, that the level of cooperation 
is the best."
     He said Libya was seeking bin Laden's arrest for the killing of two 
Germans on its soil. He provided no further details.
     Zawahri, leader of al-Jihad, a militant group based in Egypt, was 
indicted in New York two years ago in connection with the bombing of U.S. 
embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998.
     Noble told Arab police chiefs to ignore those who questioned their 
countries' commitment to cooperate in the fight against terrorism.
     "During these difficult times for Interpol and you, you must not be 
discouraged by these questions. These questions come from people who do not 
know," he said.
     Interpol, based in Lyon, France, has 179 members. It provides a 
mechanism for the global exchange of information between national police 
services.
 
 

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