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Osama's silence baffles U.S.

Washington: Osama bin Laden has been publicly silent for the longest period since the attacks of September 11, 2001. The question for U.S. intelligence: What, if anything, does it mean? The terror leader with a $25-million bounty on his head issued two audio statements in December 2004, the last known public word. He was last seen in a videotaped message to Americans on October 29, 2004, saying the United States could avoid another September 11 attack if it stopped threatening the security of Muslims. ``Any state that does not mess with our security has naturally guaranteed its own security,'' Osama said in a translation of an address aired on Al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based television channel. Since the 9/11 attacks, the longest Osama had gone without issuing a new audio or video public statement was just over nine months. He has now let 10 months pass, and counting. Two U.S. counter-terror officials said there is no evidence to suggest he is dead. The assumption is that Osama is alive. Ben Venzke, chief executive at the IntelCenter, a Government contractor that does support work for intelligence agencies, said terrorism analysts are paying attention. ``This is the first time things have changed in years. Messages have generally come in a consistent pattern, and now they are not,'' Mr. Venzke said. ``It is likely that these changes in messaging by Al-Qaeda are the result of planning and a public reltaions strategy.'' — AP

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