Police ask 'sniper' to call them back

POLICE pleaded with a man believed to be the Washington-area sniper to call them back last night.

Police revealed that a phone call had come in but was too muddled for authorities to understand.

"The person you called could not hear everything you said. The audio was unclear and we want to get it right. Call us back so that we can clearly understand," Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Chief Charles Moose said.

Chief Moose said he could not discuss the message further. He made no mention of a development in Richmond earlier yesterday in which police seized two men for questioning in the attacks.

Hanover, County Sheriff Stuart Cook said the men were taken into custody about 8.35am at or near an Exxon station in suburban Richmond, Virginia.

"The two people we have in custody are being questioned as regards the sniper shootings," Sheriff Cook said.

"When we have further information that we can give to the public ... that we've concluded this case we'll do so, but that's not the case at hand."

He refused to describe the men as suspects in the string of shootings that have left nine people dead and three wounded. During an earlier news conference, Chief Moose focused on establishing a dialogue with the unidentified person who left a message and phone number near a Virginia steakhouse where the latest victim was shot.

On Sunday, he had publicly pleaded with the note writer to call authorities.

Yesterday, he said: "The message that needs to be delivered is that we are going to respond to a message that we have received. We are preparing our response at this time."

Chief Moose did not specify whether the message was a new communication or the same one they discovered at the steakhouse. He refused to answer questions.

The nature of the message that investigators say was left at the Ashland shooting scene was not disclosed.

The flurry of activity raised hope there had been a break in the search for the sniper Meanwhile, France has alerted Interpol about a French army deserter, known as an excellent marksman, who is missing in North America, feeding speculation of a link to the investigation into the sniper investigation.

The 25-year-old second lieutenant did not return to class in Saint-Cyr Coetquidan in September after going on holiday in August.