11.   Studeman issued a similar denial concerning the death two years later of a Guatemalan guerrilla leader married to an American woman.

12.   The President made a similar denial that morning to Harold Ickes, his former Deputy Chief of Staff.

13.   A senior US Defense Department official earlier issued a similar denial.

14.   A similar denial was also issued by the Elysee Palace, the office of President Jacques Chirac.

15.   The statement followed a similar denial Wednesday by other Burmese dissident groups in Japan.

16.   Weapons firm Oto Melara, also at the centre of the allegations, issued a similar denial Sunday.

17.   Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto also dismissed the report Saturday while China issued a similar denial earlier.

18.   Senior officials from the US Defense Department and the State Department, who also asked not to be identified, issued similar denials.

19.   The newspaper printed a similar denial from Talton but could not locate Rice for comment.