Washington Whispers

Saturday, September 15, 2001

WHISPER OF THE DAY $1 billion bounty on bin Laden

It was bound to happen: A group of Los Angeles telecom millionaires is setting up a "bounty fund" to raise $1 billion or more to "wipe out" the terrorists and harboring governments responsible for Tuesday's terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, and Pennsylvania. "Now it's time to wipe out the wasp nests of terrorism," says Edward Lozzi, a West Coast PR agent lined up to handle the fund. Lozzi says in an interview that all Americans will be encouraged to donate and that the money will be used to hire mercenaries to kill or arrest those responsible. He singled out the government's top suspect: Osama bin Laden. And if the government gets there first, the money will be donated to Tuesday's victims. He wouldn't identify the business people yet but said they plan to come forward and even set up a Web page for donations once the dust settles. He described the bounty fund creators as Internet and telecommunications executives who have been big contributors to both President Bush and former President Clinton. "I don't think there's any American who wouldn't donate," he tells Whispers. Naturally, the government doesn't support mob rule, and he says the executives have considered that but are still moving forward. In fact, he adds, the business people are already raising money. Lozzi owns Edward Lozzi & Associate, a public relations and media consultant firm, [http://www.lozzipr.com/] of Beverly Hills, and is a former press aide to former President Bush.

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2001