U.S. looks at various groups for possible links to USS Cole blast

U.S. officials say accused terrorist bin Laden, seen in this undated file photo, is a possible suspect given his ties to Yemen

In this story: No evidence of involvement by bin Laden Investigative teams to head to Yemen RELATED STORIES, SITES

From CNN National Security Producer Chris Plante, CNN National Security Correspondent David Ensor and CNN Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. officials said they "have no idea" who was responsible for a suspected terrorist attack against a U.S. Navy destroyer, but are looking at a number of Middle East groups and one international fugitive wanted on terrorism charges as possible culprits.

INTERACTIVE Leaders' reactions to the attack on the USS Cole    VIDEO CNN's Perri Peltz speaks with terrorism expert Brian Jenkins about the explosion that killed at least six U.S. sailors Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Jamie McIntyre explains what is known about the explosion that killed six U.S. sailors (October 12) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     GALLERY A summary of Thursday's events     AUDIO Bashraheel Bashraheel, a reporter for Al-Ayam newspaper in Yemen, describes the scene PART ONE: 396K/33 sec. AIFF or WAV sound PART TWO: 224K/22 sec. AIFF or WAV sound PART THREE: 276K/26 sec. AIFF or WAV sound     RESOURCES Information for families of sailors serving on the USS Cole: 1-800-368-3202 For updated Naval press releases involving the USS Cole, click here Click here for facts about the Arleigh-Burke class of destroyer Timeline of terrorist attacks against U.S. interests     MESSAGE BOARD USS Cole ramming     GALLERY Images of the USS Cole before the blast

One U.S. official told CNN there is "no specific information" to link any particular group to the explosion that killed at least six sailors aboard the USS Cole in Yemen on Thursday. "We don't know who is responsible for this," the official said, adding that analysts are focusing on a number of leading candidates.

The blast left 11 other sailors missing and injured 35.

The most widely circulated name of possible suspects is that of exiled Saudi millionaire and indicted terrorist leader Osama bin Laden, the official said.

Former CIA official Stanley Bedlington agrees. "Osama bin Laden seems almost tailor made to fit the bill for the prime suspect in this one," Bedlington said. "He's had a history of carrying out acts of terrorism and other sorts of activities in Yemen going back to the mid-1980s."

No evidence of involvement by bin Laden

Stressing that they have "no evidence" at this point linking bin Laden's Al Qaeda organization to the attack, one U.S. official said government agencies on the case are "looking for a connection to bin Laden.

"His status as a possible suspect is based on "informed speculation," and on the fact that bin Laden and his organization have long-standing connections in Yemen, the official said.

A U.S. indictment charging bin Laden with being the ringleader of the August 1998 twin bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania alleges that he issued fatwas, or death warrants, against U.S. military targets in Yemen and Saudi Arabia and that many Yemenis trained at his terrorist camps in Afghanistan.

The U.S. official said other well-known Mideast groups accused of terrorist activities -- such as the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad -- were considered as possible backers of such an attack and that all have followers in Yemen.

Other groups indigenous to Yemen also are being examined as possible perpetrators. The official said extremist groups there may be "vying for bin Laden's attention" in an effort to win funding or some other favor from bin Laden's well-funded worldwide al Qaeda network.

"You can't underestimate the indigenous groups", he said.

"We don't have any (significant) reason to believe that it is one of these groups," and suspicions are "not based on evidence" at this stage, the official said, but bin Laden is always near the top of the suspect list in such situations even though there "isn't evidence that points to" him.

Investigative teams to head to Yemen

The CIA's Counter Terrorist Center, staffed with both analysts and operations specialists, is going "full tilt," according to one knowledgeable official, in its effort to determine who might be responsible for the blast.

The center is "looking for any clue, any hint of information that could shed light" on the incident, he said.

Pending final approval of the Yemeni government, a contingent of more than 100 FBI agents, forensic experts and technicians will be sent to the Middle East to help investigate the case.

The deployment of U.S. law enforcement and other government officials to the Yemen area will be in three waves.

Former CIA official Bedlington says Osama bin Laden has "a history of carrying out acts of terrorism ... in Yemen going back to the mid-1980s"

The first wave, which was expected to leave as early as Thursday, includes the State Department's Foreign Emergency Support Team, and includes some FBI agents.

A second unit, a crisis assessment team, could leave as early as Friday. Its mission is to assess security, lodging and other resources for the third wave -- the main investigative team of 100 FBI agents and other officials.

A specially trained U.S. Marine Corps Fleet Anti-Terrorist Security Team (FAST) also has been dispatched.

U.S. Navy
  • USS Cole
COMNAVSURFLANT: Central Command, Atlantic Fleet
  • USS Cole Updates
U.S. Department of Defense
  • DefenseLINK Multimedia Gallery: USS Cole
ArabNet: Yemen
Zodiac of North America

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