U.S. official denies report of bin Laden-Cole link

The USS Cole in Yemen on Friday

In this story: U.S. seeks further cooperation from Yemen Navy: Change in security procedures possible RELATED STORIES, SITES

CNN Senior International Correspondent Walter Rodgers, Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre, National Security Correspondent David Ensor, National Security Producer Pam Benson and Justice Department Producer Terry Frieden contributed to this report, written by CNN.com Senior Writer Jim Morris.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A news report suggesting that U.S. intelligence officials have "hard evidence" linking terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden to the deadly bombing of the USS Cole is wrong, a U.S. official told CNN on Friday.

USA Today, citing unidentified "senior U.S. intelligence officials," said bin Laden financed the October 12 attack in Yemen and sent one of his top lieutenants to supervise it.

VIDEO Watch investigators working on the USS Cole in Yemen Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) CNN's Walter Rodgers tells of a possible sequence of events in the attack on the Cole Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)     INTERACTIVE 'Shipboard terrorist threatcon measures' US Defense Department Threat Conditions Timeline: The attack on the USS Cole See a 3-dimensional image of the USS Cole Get the plugin Animation of a transport ship conducting a recovery procedure at sea     ALSO 'Flatbed' ship ready to transport stricken USS Cole CNN affiliate exposes lax Navy security Defense official resigned after Cole attack, says warnings were ignored Afghanistan fearful of U.S. military strike after warship attack     INFORMATION Information for families of sailors serving on the USS Cole: 1-800-372-5463 Click here for facts about the Arleigh-Burke class destroyer     MESSAGE BOARD USS Cole attack

The U.S. official contacted by CNN called that a rumor. "We have come to no such conclusions," the source said. "The intelligence points in many directions and it is contradictory."

Nevertheless, bin Laden remains at the top of the suspect list, according to CNN's source, who requested anonymity.

Separately, FBI spokesman Jim Margolin, asked whether a clear link to bin Laden has been established, said, "That's an obvious question that's being looked into. We're not confirming such a link exists."

The attack on the Cole, a destroyer, killed 17 sailors and injured 39.

Bin Laden, who lives in Afghanistan and is from a wealthy Saudi Arabian family, is frequently mentioned as a possible suspect.

He is on the FBI's list of 10 most-wanted fugitives; he is wanted in connection with the August 7, 1998, bombing of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed more than 200 people, including 12 Americans.

U.S. seeks further cooperation from Yemen

The Cole was attacked by suicide terrorist bombers during a refueling stop in the Yemeni port of Aden. Two men in a small boat edged up to the warship at a fueling dock in the harbor and detonated a package of explosives, blowing a hole 40 feet high and 40 feet wide in the ship's steel hull.

Yemeni authorities say they have detained and questioned dozens of people, none of whom has been charged.

While the investigation is a joint Yemen-U.S. effort, Yemen authorities clearly have taken the lead, leaving FBI personnel frustrated by their limited access to eyewitnesses and suspects.

A joint statement Friday by FBI Director Louis Freeh and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright thanked Yemen for its cooperation in collecting physical evidence in the bombing and called on President Ali Abdallah Saleh to keep a promise to cooperate with U.S. investigators.

"The next critical phase will require Yemeni and U.S. personnel to work as partners in the collection of information, and participants in the interview process of witnesses to this criminal act of terrorism," the statement said.

Although the majority of FBI bomb and evidence specialists sent to Yemen have now returned to the United States, or are en route to Washington, other agents still remain to follow leads.

Federal law enforcement officials say it is premature to comment on explosives residue and other material sent back for analysis. One official close to the case told CNN that the FBI crime lab had not yet "located a thread" which could tie the evidence collected so far to a particular suspect.

Navy: Change in security procedures possible

A report aired this week by CNN affiliate WABC-TV showed potential security lapses at domestic U.S. naval bases, including the Cole's home port in Norfolk, Virginia.

Reporter Jim Hoffer and his crew demonstrated how a rented motor boat was able to get shockingly close to some of the military's most sophisticated ships and submarines as they sat docked in port.

In fact, on October 12, the same day the Cole was attacked, Hoffer was in Norfolk where he glided past -- and touched, unchallenged -- an aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise.

In response, the Navy said Friday it is taking a "hard look" at its security procedures both at home and abroad.

Security measures currently in place are designed to strike a balance between the public access expected in a free society and the need to protect national security interests and the safety of U.S. forces, the Navy said.

But it acknowledged that the threat of terrorism could lead to a tightening of existing security measures.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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