During the sniper investigation, which generated hundreds of thousands of tips, the number of potential clues to assimilate was daunting.

It's a fabulous and a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but that is so because it's bigger than the sniper investigation.

Indeed, the two-week-old sniper investigation became more personal for the F.B.I. on Monday when the bureau lost one of its own.

The deployment of the Army's Airborne Reconnaissance Low planes is the latest and perhaps most dramatic tactic in the sniper investigation.

The two men, experienced criminal defense lawyers, have been catapulted into the middle of the Washington-area sniper investigation.

"The sniper investigation led to the recovery of two of the bodies we discussed at dinner" "The guys buried near the Vipers' clubhouse?"

The reward was financed by more than 900 private and public contributors during the sniper investigation.

Publicly, relations appeared to have warmed in the last few years, with the agencies praising each other's cooperation in the sniper investigation.

"We have been praised for our cooperation, but the sniper investigation highlights many more missteps by law enforcement than it does brilliant moves."

The sniper investigation took what initially seemed a promising turn this morning with the apprehension of the two men near Richmond.