Pakistan: Slain Al-Qaida Member Likely High-Ranking (Did they get OBL?)

AP via TheNewMexicoChannel ^ | 10/15/2003 | AP

[InShanghai]

Pakistan: Slain Al-Qaida Member Likely High-Ranking

Pakistani Raid Earlier This Month Killed 8 Members Of Al-Qaida

POSTED: 2:35 p.m. EDT October 15, 2003

UPDATED: 2:41 p.m. EDT October 15, 2003

PESHAWAR, Pakistan -- One of the men killed in Pakistan's largest-ever offensive against al-Qaida appears to have been a high-ranking member of the terrorist network.

The massive raid, which took place earlier this month, killed eight members of al-Qaida and two Pakistani solders.

An information minister said Wednesday that he can't confirm it but said it looks as though one of the dead al-Qaida members was "one who has a reward on his head." The minister adds he was among the top 10 or 15 people in the terrorist network.

[InShanghai]

Could the Pakis have gotten OBL?

[Cicero]

I doubt it. In that case they'd probably have been either more reticent or more specific.

[Dog]

Be still my heart!!!!!

[Dog]

ping!

[Valin]

Top Al Qaeda member killed in Pak’
16.55 IST 16th Oct 2003

By IndiaExpress Bureau

A top al Qaeda leader was among eight suspected militants killed in a recent operation launched by the Pakistani army in the northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid said.

"An Al-Qaeda man in the list of top 10 to 15 was among those killed," Rashid told reporters in Islamabad last night, adding that "I will not disclose his name at the moment but a reward for his arrest was announced." Pakistan had launched a major operation against suspected al Qaeda suspects in the border town of Angoor Adda earlier this month, killing eight al Qaeda suspects.

Denying media reports that the dead militants were Pakistanis, Rashid said the action was against suspected al Qaeda militants and no local was killed in the operation.

The Information Minister was reacting to allegations by the six-party Islamist alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal that the operation was mounted against innocent civilians.

The MMA had also despatched an eight-member fact finding team to South Wazirstan to probe the clash but authorities turned the team back.

Replying to a question, Rashid said that the action in Waziristan was taken on the basis of electronic intelligence.

He said Pakistan is against terrorism and will now allow any group to operate from its territory and added that innocent people will not be punished.
http://www.indiaexpress.com/news/world/20031016-2.html

[Dog Gone]

OBL is already dead, so it couldn't be him. When his last message included only old video of him, I think that was proof.

[InShanghai]

An information minister said Wednesday that he can't confirm it...

You're probably right. I really hate the way media people do things. Perhaps the Pakis are trying to confirm so they can collect a bounty?

[Dog]

Al-Qaeda hotshot likely killed 15/10/2003 18:20 - (SA) Pakistan - One of the men killed in Pakistan's largest-ever offensive against al-Qaeda appears to have been a high-ranking member of the terror network, a Pakistani official said on Wednesday. Eight al-Qaeda suspects and two Pakistani soldiers were killed in the massive October 2 raid where army commandos battled insurgents at a suspected hideout in the remote South Waziristan region. "There is a probability which I cannot confirm that a man among those killed was one who has a reward on his head," Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said at a news conference in Islamabad. "He was among the top 10 or 15 people in al-Qaeda." Ahmed refused to provide any more details. Also on Wednesday, lawmakers from a pro-Taliban religious alliance demanded that authorities end an operation in South Waziristan where security forces have been looking for tribesman accused of sheltering the al-Qaeda suspects. Causing problems In a week-long operation in the tribal region, along the border with Afghanistan - where 18 al-Qaeda suspects were also captured in the raid - Pakistani security forces have arrested more than 60 tribesman, said a government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "The operation to arrest the alleged foreigners and those allegedly giving them shelter is causing problems for the people in Waziristan," Shabbir Ahmed Khan, a member of the powerful Mutahida Majilis-e-Amal religious coalition, told The Associated Press. Authorities were still looking for three fugitive tribal elders - identified as Payo Khan and Zari Gul of the Kari Khel tribe, and Noor Islam from the Desi Khel tribe - who allegedly owned the homes where the al-Qaeda suspects were hiding. Security forces began searching for them after they failed to comply with a government deadline to surrender by October 7. Authorities have also destroyed homes, impounded cars and closed businesses of people belonging to the Kari Khel and Desi Khel tribes in an effort to persuade them to assist the search for the elders. Several members from another tribe - Yar Gul Khel - have also been arrested during the crackdown. "Stop operation" Under the so-called code of "collective responsibility," Pakistani forces have the authority to arrest an entire tribe if any of its members break the law. Such actions can continue until the wanted men surrender. A group of lawmakers from Mutahida Majilis-e-Amal - or United Action Forum - was traveling to South Waziristan on Wednesday on a fact-finding mission, Khan said. "The purpose of the visit is to know the facts and inform MMA leadership," he said. The MMA is a strong voice in the parliament and made stunning gains in elections last October on a platform of support for the Taliban and opposition to the American-led operation against the Afghan militia. "This operation should be stopped immediately and all details in this connection should be presented in the parliament," said Khan, who is a member of the National Assembly, or lower parliamentary house, from Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province. Members of the delegation are to meet with tribal elders and clerics in South Waziristan, he said.

[Coop]

This is the same report I posted yesterday, Dog. Nothing new here. If they got OBL, do you really think the guy would describe him as "top 10 or 15?" Uh uh.

[Dog]

Even if he was ranked number 10.....we got another one.

[Coop]

Absolutely, it's great news! I was just making the point that there's nothing new here, and no evidence that OBL was nabbed.

[mikegi]

Could the Pakis have gotten OBL?

Nope. If UBL is ever officially killed or captured it will be huge news. Even when KSM was captured the news leaked out ahead of the official announcement. I think this is a moot point anyway, UBL is pushing up poppies, imho.

[Dog]

fyi...

[Angelus Errare]

This is Ahmed Khadr, a Canadian Egyptian who was one of the founding leaders of al-Qaeda. He's very high up in the hierarchy and his son ran a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan. Consider him to be well within the Top 10 bracket.

Not as big as KSM, but still a major blow. Especially if you combine it with the loss of al-Ghozi and the #3 in Ansar al-Islam.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Rollin', rollin', rollin, keep them doggies runnin'...

[LayoutGuru2]

World Exclusive - Latest picture of Osama bin Laden

[bayourod]

"OBL is already dead, so it couldn't be him. When his last message included only old video of him, I think that was proof. "

What if the reason he won't appear on video is because he has had an extreme makeover and now looks like John Kerry?

[1Old Pro]

OBL has been dead for a while now.

[VA_Gentleman]

Months ago I heard Rush say that he had spoken with a high ranking military official, whom he did not identify. Anyway this high ranking official said they had pretty solid video evidence that OBL was obliterated by a missile. While I don't have any confirmation of that, it would be nice to know that OBL had assumed room temperature.

[1Old Pro]

If he was obliterated, and he probably was, we'll never find him or any DNA of him. The facts are, if nobody has seen him or spoken to him and he hasn't been on a real time tape, he's gone.