U.S. Official: No Truth to Rumor Bin Laden Captured

[zimv20]

link (http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=816327&tw=wn_wire_story)


There is no truth to a rumor in the foreign exchange markets that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been captured, a U.S. official said on Thursday.


"It's not true," the official said when asked about the rumor. Traders cited the rumor as one reason why the dollar gained ground.


i wasn't even aware of the rumor. but i did find this fringe bit, claiming the UPI sourced it (didn't see it on upi.com):

Report: bin Laden held

BERLIN, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has been captured, Germany's Die Welt newspaper reported Thursday.

The newspaper, on its Web site, cited "unconfirmed reports" as the basis for its report.

Bin Laden is the Saudi dissident blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington that killed nearly 3,000 people. He was believed to be hiding along the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Copyright 2004 by United Press International.
All rights reserved.


link (http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/01220000aaa0446a.upi&Sys=rmmiller&Fid=NATIONAL&Type=News&Filter=National%20News)

and there's nothing on Die Welt's front page.

[zimv20]

ah, looks like this is where it all started:
link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3424197.stm)


Bin Laden hoax backfires in Lebanon

A spoof newsflash by a TV station in Lebanon saying that Osama Bin Laden had been captured in the northern city of Tripoli was taken more seriously than the programme-makers had expected.

Despite several clues onscreen that the bulletin was a joke, the LBC station was inundated with calls.

(more)