Washington: Encouraged by the arrest of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other top ranking al-Qaida operatives, American intelligence agencies have expressed confidence the terror network would soon be dismantled.

"I believe the tide has turned in terms of al-Qaida," said Florida Republican Representative Porter J Goss, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. "We are on top of the hill."

"For the first time, they have more to fear from us than we have to fear from them," he added.

The intelligence officials are, however, cautious in public not to overstate their optimism about breaking up the terror network and capturing bin Laden, according to 'The Washington Post' daily.

They also admit there was no certainty they could disrupt attacks already set in motion by Qaida or groups affiliated to it.

But the officials believe Mohammed's capture has cut off the organisation's key operational leader from the executors of the attacks. The documents seized have turned out to be a "mother lode" of information and has provided "hundreds of leads", the paper quoted an official as saying. It has also prompted security at certain targets Mohammed identified.

Another expert said, "They (the agencies) believe they are on a roll and can get this group of people whom we know were involved in 9/11. We've got them nailed, and we're close to dismantling them."

PTI