U.S. Evacuates Pakistan 'Hot' Zone

ISLAMABAD: The front line of Washington's pursuit of the East African embassy bombers appears to have moved to Pakistan, because of that country's proximity to Afghanistan and the base of "prime suspect" Osama Bin Laden. About 200 U.S. personnel were evacuated from Pakistan Tuesday in response to threats of retaliation following last week's arrest and deportation to Kenya of a potential suspect in the bombing. "With fingers pointing towards Bin Laden, it's expected that there may be retaliation against U.S. citizens and personnel as there has been on previous occasions in Pakistan," says TIME correspondent Hannah Bloch. Bin Laden operates under the protection of the Pakistan-allied Taliban movement in Afghanistan, although Islamabad is cooperating energetically with the U.S. investigation in the hope of lifting the sanctions imposed after Pakistan's nuclear tests. Still, there may be good reason for the embassy evacuation -- turning up the heat on Bin Laden is likely to make his own backyard a pretty hot place.