The Terror Hunters

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Yemeni cops claim a crucial lead in the case came from a 12-year-old boy, whom the suspected terrorists gave $12 worth of Yemeni rials to watch their car. The cops say they found the suspects' vehicle undisturbed in the same location, bearing license plates stolen in Yemen's hinterlands and loaded with diving gear and alleged bomb equipment, since taken by the FBI for analysis. Among the discoveries: the men may have had as many as five safe houses. Yemen's President has implied a link between the suspects and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, a group closely tied to Bin Laden. But FBI officials say they have seen no evidence of that. Unlike the East African governments, Yemeni officials have refused to allow the FBI to join local cops on joint searches and interviews with witnesses and suspects. Without timely, full access to all evidence, bureau officials say, they cannot embrace unilateral Yemeni findings as valid.

As FBI agents gathered evidence last week, America buried 17 Cole sailors. At a ceremony in Norfolk, Va., honoring the Cole's dead and wounded, Defense Secretary Cohen warned the killers: "You are on notice. Our search for you will be relentless." Relentless, perhaps, but also complicated.