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TALIBAN LEADERS DISMISS U.S. REPORTS OFTERRORIST PLOT (June 25, 2001 story)
The Record (Bergen County, NJ) ^ | June 25, 2001 | AMIR SHAH, The Associated Press

Posted on 03/26/2004 7:09:50 AM PST by eyespysomething

Copyright 2001 North Jersey Media Group Inc. The Record (Bergen County, NJ)

June 25, 2001, MONDAY; ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. A9

LENGTH: 552 words

HEADLINE: TALIBAN LEADERS DISMISS U.S. REPORTS OFTERRORIST PLOT

SOURCE: Wire services

BYLINE: AMIR SHAH, The Associated Press

DATELINE: KABUL, Afghanistan

BODY: Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have rejected U.S. concerns about the possibility of a terrorist strike by the followers of Osama bin Laden, saying Sunday that the Saudi dissident is under their strict control and cannot use Afghan territory as a base for attacks.

The remarks came a day after the Arabic satellite channel Middle East Broadcasting Corp. reported that followers of Bin Laden, based in Afghanistan, were planning an attack on American and Israeli "interests" within the next few weeks.

"All the activities of Osama bin Laden are under the tight control of the Taliban,"Usman Shaharyar, a Taliban foreign ministry official, told The Associated Press."Osama has no such facility in Afghanistan which can be used against any country."

The State Department issued a "worldwide caution"on Friday, saying U.S. citizens and interests abroad may be at risk of a terrorist attack from extremist groups. It mentioned groups with links to Bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda organization as a possible source of a threat.

U.S. military forces throughout the Persian Gulf were put on a heightened state of alert. A U.S. Marine Corps contingent in Jordan cut short its training session and returned to its ships, while the U.S. 5th Fleet sent its ships out of port in Bahrain.

Bin Laden, accused by the United States of bomb attacks that killed 224 people at two American embassies in East Africa in 1998, has been living in Afghanistan since 1996. The United States fired Tomahawk missiles into alleged terrorist training camps in Afghanistan to retaliate for the bombings.

Despite international pressure and U.N. sanctions, the Taliban have refused to hand over Bin Laden to stand trial for terrorism in the United States or a third country. They say he is their guest and that the United States has no evidence that he is involved in terrorism.

The Taliban decried as falsified a videotape that has circulated among Muslim militants recently, showing members of Bin Laden's Afghanistan-based group boasting that its followers carried out the bombing attack that killed 17 American sailors and wounded 39 aboard the USS Cole in Yemen last year.

1 "We thank God for granting us victory the day we destroyed Cole in the sea,"says a rallying song that runs with footage of masked men allegedly connected with Bin Laden training in a desert camp in Afghanistan. The video shows Islamic militants training in the camp and an interview with Bin Laden.

"This is all propaganda and remote from reality,"said Shaharyar.

"Osama has no such facilities."

In the Middle East Broadcasting Corp. report Saturday, a reporter for the London-based, Saudi-owned broadcaster recounted a meeting he said he had with Bin Laden and his aides in a desert area of Afghanistan on Thursday.

Bin Laden seemed"happy with the talks of his aides who said that the coming weeks will hold important surprises that will target American and Israeli interests in the world," said the reporter, Bakr Atyani.

Bin Laden refused to comment because the Taliban do not allow him to make public statements, Atyani said in the report, parts of which were televised Sunday along with footage of black-clad men performing military training.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; clarke; clarkelied; pre911; taliban; wot
interesting story I found through Lexis Nexis. I found a ton of stories when I searched for Al-Qaeda and Bush from January 2001 to August 2001. Me thinks someone is lying about them not being aware of Al-Qaeda or taking steps towards their demise.

The State Dept issued a world wide caution in relation to Al-Qaeda in June 2001.

1 posted on 03/26/2004 7:09:51 AM PST by eyespysomething
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To: eyespysomething
Good find.
2 posted on 03/26/2004 7:12:28 AM PST by GraniteStateConservative (...He had committed no crime against America so I did not bring him here...-- Worst.President.Ever.)
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To: eyespysomething
Out-damn-standing research!!!! This needs much wider distro -- perhaps you ought to send it on to Fox News.

Me thinks someone is lying about them not being aware of Al-Qaeda or taking steps towards their demise.

Clarke and his cronies are all set up for a fall, but it will take an honest media to dig into and report it.

3 posted on 03/26/2004 7:12:43 AM PST by r9etb
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To: eyespysomething
ANother one: (excerpted because of NYT policy, but I will FReepmail the whole story if someone wants it, no link that I can find.)

Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company
The New York Times

February 21, 2001, Wednesday, Late Edition - Final

SECTION: Section A; Page 1; Column 1; Foreign Desk

LENGTH: 1365 words

HEADLINE: Hunting bin Laden's Allies, U.S. Extends Net to Europe

BYLINE: By JUDITH MILLER and SARAH LYALL

BODY:
Spurred by growing international alarm about Osama bin Laden's militant networks, the police in Britain and Germany have recently arrested more than a dozen Islamic radicals. American officials say some of those arrested were plotting terrorist attacks in Europe and elsewhere.

American and foreign officials said the arrests were part of an intensified effort to crack down on a network with ties to Mr. bin Laden, a wealthy Saudi who has been accused of masterminding the bombings of two American embassies in East Africa in 1998. The explosions killed 224 people.

Last week British police officers raided several houses in London and arrested 10 men, six of whom have been charged with preparing to engage in "acts of terrorism."

Among the four arrested but not charged was Omar Mahmood Abu Omar, an Islamic religious leader who American and Jordanian officials say is a key agent for Mr. bin Laden in Europe. Jordanian courts have twice convicted Mr. Omar, who is known as Abu Qatada, on terrorism charges in absentia, in 1998 for his role in bombings and last year for conspiring to blow up tourist sites during millennium celebrations.

4 posted on 03/26/2004 7:16:27 AM PST by eyespysomething (To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first, and call whatever you hit the target)
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To: r9etb
And this is why Condi Rice should set precedent aside and testify in public before the commission. I know that partisan sack of s**t Richard ben Veniste (who NEVER, ever should have been named to the commission) will try to nail her, but I am sure she's equal to the task.
5 posted on 03/26/2004 7:18:54 AM PST by Steve_Seattle ("Above all, shake your bum at Burton.")
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To: eyespysomething
One more, this guy warned Clinton Admin in 1996 about embassy bombings:

Copyright 2001 Daily News, L.P.
Daily News (New York)

February 8, 2001, Thursday SPORTS FINAL EDITION

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 17

LENGTH: 310 words

HEADLINE: I WARNED OF BOMBING, EX-TERRORIST SAYS

BYLINE: BY GREG B. SMITH DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

BODY:
Two years before the bombing of two U.S. embassies in East Africa, one of Osama Bin Laden's top lieutenants warned U.S. officials that the Saudi exile's terrorist group might target American embassies.

The revelation emerged yesterday in testimony by Jamal Ahmed Al-Fadl, a veteran of Bin Laden's Al Qaeda organization now cooperating with the FBI.

Al-Fadl is the first witness in the trial of four Bin Laden associates accused of conspiring in a worldwide terrorist plot that ended with the Aug. 7, 1998, bombing of embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

Yesterday, he continued to reveal the inner workings of Bin Laden's secretive group, saying that when he left Al Qaeda in 1996 and went to the U.S. authorities, he gave the U.S. a warning.

"They try [to] make bomb against some embassy," Al-Fadl said he told an unnamed U.S. official when he first fled the group to which he had pledged his undying allegiance.

He did not specify which embassy, and it was not clear whether this information was ever provided to the FBI, which was investigating Bin Laden.

Al-Fadl also said he told officials, "They're trying to do something against your country inside, they're trying to do something against the American military."

He also revealed that he had two wives at once - one in America and one in the Sudan - and that he had to leave the group because he was caught stealing $110,000 from Al Qaeda.

Put in charge of several of Bin Laden's companies, Al-Fadl said he secretly pocketed commissions while selling oil and sugar. Soon he was confronted by Bin Laden.

"He said 'There's no forgiveness until you give all the money back,' " Al-Fadl said. "I didn't have any hope when I left the office."

Convinced he could be killed, he turned himself over to U.S. authorities, who eventually brought his wife and children to the U.S. from the Sudan.
6 posted on 03/26/2004 7:22:07 AM PST by eyespysomething (To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first, and call whatever you hit the target)
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To: eyespysomething
Our guys did testify to the commission about these warnings being issued. The media has chosen to ignore the testimony of Powell, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Armitage, plus Rice's public comments.

Thank you for posting yet more information that again buttresses Bush officials and exposes Clarke as the liar he is.
7 posted on 03/26/2004 7:22:23 AM PST by cyncooper ("The 'War on Terror ' is not a figure of speech")
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To: eyespysomething
I would appreciate the full article, when you have time, please. Thank You.

What are the Lexis-Nexus policies on posting of old articles? Could you set up a website w/this research on it?
8 posted on 03/26/2004 7:22:42 AM PST by reformedliberal
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To: reformedliberal
You've got FRmail
9 posted on 03/26/2004 7:26:14 AM PST by eyespysomething (To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first, and call whatever you hit the target)
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To: Steve_Seattle
Not only has this testimony been given in public by Bush officials already, Rice has also made numerous public statements about the threat warnings.

All ignored by the media in favor of Clarke's lies.

If they waive precedent and their reasons for not having her publicly testify and have her appear under oath, fine, but don't believe it will make one whit of difference in how the story is presented.
10 posted on 03/26/2004 7:28:14 AM PST by cyncooper ("The 'War on Terror ' is not a figure of speech")
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To: eyespysomething
Thanx, eyespy.
11 posted on 03/26/2004 7:53:54 AM PST by reformedliberal
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To: eyespysomething
The attack (from Bin Laden) could also come from the sky in the form of a bizarre James Bond-style strike – June 13 2001
12 posted on 09/27/2006 2:11:59 PM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric cartman voice* “I love you guys”)
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To: Steve Van Doorn; SittinYonder

Wow, an oldie! ;-)

Thanks for the info, I'll save that one.


13 posted on 09/27/2006 3:04:47 PM PDT by eyespysomething (http://crumbsandfun.blogspot.com/2006/09/ana-centeno-tribute.html)
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