US optimistic of capturing Osama by year end

The Hindustan Times ^ | 2/9/04 | Press Trust of India

[mylife]

US optimistic of capturing Osama by year end

Press Trust of India New York, February 9

A recent spike in intelligence has given Americans officials greater reason for hope that they are close to catching Osama bin Laden than anytime since he escaped US clutches in Tora Bora at the end of 2001, a media report said on Monday quoting a "knowledgeable" US intelligence official. "There are some channels that are very active," the official told the Time magazine but declined to give details for fear they might dry up.

"There are a lot of people very confident that they have him narrowed to a certain sector," he said.

That sector, Time said, probably encompasses several hundred square miles along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border which, it said, is not exactly like having him cooped up in your backyard.

Two weeks ago, Lieutnent Colonel Bryan Hilferty, US military spokesman in Afghanistan, raised hopes when he announced he was "sure" Bin Laden would be captured by the end of the year.

His statement, the magazine said, also prompted the inevitable speculation during an election year that the Bush Administration was somehow trying to orchestrate an October surprise, namely, the capture of the terrorist mastermind just before voters go to the polls in November.

Time quoted military sources in Afghanistan as saying that Hilferty's statement was not based on concrete new information. But it did reflect a sense of rising optimism fueled in part by the capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq and in part by recent data gathering.

[mylife]

Kashmir?

[dc-zoo]

I prefer by October 2004 end.

[BullDog108]

What about Kashmir?

[mylife]

could that be the sector inquestion

[Solson]

I heard that, much like we found Saddam, we are shortening the time we trail Osama. It went from a month to a week to a few days which is where we are right now. I expect us to move to a day or two soon, then hours, and then minutes. When we get that close, we'll see the fireworks start.

[dead]

I still think he's been a smear on a cave wall in Tora Bora since December 2001.

I could be wrong, but that's never ever ever happened before, so it would be weird.

[jimbo123]

You libbies are getting hysterical. What are you going to do when the military tribunals start and your AQ friends are executed and fed to pigs? Boo-hoo.

[Maria S]

Wow! You've been a FReeper since.....why, only since YESTERDAY!

[jimbo123]

A lot more rats have been infesting this places lately. They are hysterical at the thought that Bin Laden is about to be caught very soon. The Demoncrats are AQ sympathizers and their hero will be on his way to a tribunal and execution.

[Maria S]

"A lot more rats have been infesting this places lately. "

Well, I reckon we should make them feel welcome...they'll either learn something or get zotted!

[dighton]

I could be wrong, but that's never ever ever happened before, so it would be weird.

I came *that close* to being wrong once. Gives me the shivers, just thinking about it.

[paul51]

"There are some channels that are very active," the official told the Time magazine but declined to give details for fear they might dry up.

Then why do these morons with loose lips say anything at all?

[paul51]

the Bush Administration was somehow trying to orchestrate an October surprise, namely, the capture of the terrorist mastermind just before voters go to the polls in November

Yeah. Right

[paul51]

If we can capture OBL, say, within, the next month or two, I'd be very happy. However, if OBL is captured and held in captivity and then his capture revealed days before the election, it is my opinion that it could backfire on the president

You've been spending to much time at another web site.

[paul51]

I'm in my sixties and I have never voted democrat.

Nader?

[Grut]

OBL is better than dead, he's irrelevant; the only thing that capturing him would do is give the Libs another excuse to call for ending the WOT.