Correction: Terror suspect stories
By APFriday, October 16, 2009
Correction: Terror suspect stories
NEW YORK — In stories Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 about New York City terror suspect Najibullah Zazi, The Associated Press erroneously reported that U.S. intelligence officials knew of indirect contact between Zazi and a man believed to be the head of al-Qaida in Afghanistan — Mustafa Abu al-Yazid.
The initial report, from New York, on Oct. 14 was based on AP’s misinterpretation of a series of telephone and e-mail exchanges between an AP reporter and two U.S. intelligence officials. The officials told the AP on Thursday that they had not been aware of any contact between al-Yazid and Zazi. They spoke throughout on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.
A second AP report, on Oct. 15 from Kabul, profiled al-Yazid.
Before the two reports, on Oct. 5, the AP quoted a senior U.S. intelligence official saying there was contact through an intermediary between Zazi and a senior al-Qaida operative. That official did not identify the al-Qaida operative.
Zazi has pleaded not guilty to charges he conspired to use weapons of mass destruction. Prosecutors say he is behind a plot to use homemade bombs in New York City.
