Pubdate: Fri, 29 Jul 2005
Source: New York Daily News (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Daily News, L.P.
Contact:  http://www.nydailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/295
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

FEDS SNORT AT POST'S COKE TALE

Federal drug agents are discrediting a New York Post front-page story that 
Osama Bin Laden tried to buy tons of Colombian cocaine to spike with poison 
and resell to Americans.

In a blaring story Tuesday headlined "Bin Laden Coke Plot," Post reporter 
Dan Mangan claimed the Drug Enforcement Administration was investigating 
the scheme.

But that was news to DEA officials.

"The New York Post has refused to inform DEA of the basis of its 
allegations or share the document upon which the reporting is based," DEA 
spokesman Garrison Courtney said in a statement.

"However, no DEA official in Washington, Afghanistan, Bogota or New York 
has any information of this type of plot by Bin Laden, and a computerized 
search of our databases reveals no such reporting."

Quoting "law enforcement sources familiar with the Drug Enforcement 
Administration's probe," the Post said the Colombian dealers rejected Bin 
Laden.

A law enforcement source told the Daily News that the DEA never had a probe 
- - and any suggestion that Bin Laden had a plot to poison the nation's 
cocaine supply simply was not credible.

A Post spokeswoman said, "We stand by our story."
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MAP posted-by: Beth