No evidence of link with al-Qaida or international terrorism

TOP US officials said yesterday authorities were investigating but had found no evidence to link a string of deadly sniper attacks in the Washington area to international terror groups.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell, appearing on Fox News yesterday, said it was conceivable but unproven that the attacks were connected to the al-Qaida organisation Osama bin Laden, which the United States has blamed for last year’s September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

“Obviously, it’s conceivable, but I have seen no evidence to tie this terrible series of attacks in the Washington area to al-Qaida,” Mr Powell said. “We’re looking for every possible connection, but, so far, I’ve not seen anything that does tie it to al-Qaida.”