U.S. almost had Bin Laden - mag

NY Daily News ^ | December 22, 2003 | DEREK ROSE

[presidio9]

Soldiers hunting terror kingpins Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Mohammed Omar have come close to catching them several times, it was reported yesterday. American and Afghan soldiers muffed their best chance a few months ago, when they brushed by Omar in Uruzgan Province but failed to recognize the one-eyed cleric, according to Newsweek.

The ousted Taliban leader and his security detachment had stopped at a local mosque for afternoon prayers when several Humvees and pickup trucks carrying American and Afghan soldiers pulled up.

The Afghan soldiers entered the mosque, but Omar kept his cool, telling his men to hide their weapons. He then led the newcomers in prayer, Taliban fighter Assadullah Zarafat told the magazine.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai acknowledged in October that Omar has indeed slipped through the allies' fingers several times.

"Mullah Omar is alive and ... we have come close to arresting him several times, but he has been able to escape," Karzai told CNN.

Bin Laden had his own close call not too long ago, when a U.S. war plane passed overhead as the terror bigwig walked down a mountain trail, a senior Taliban planner, identified only as Zabihullah, told Newsweek. But the pilot apparently failed to see him as Bin Laden and his aides ducked into some bushes.

Lately, Bin Laden has been sleeping in secret bivouacs surrounded by mines and high explosives designed to kill him and shred his body, ensuring he doesn't meet the same humiliating end as former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Taliban operatives told Newsweek.

The magazine also said the U.S. has been using a complicated software program called Analyst's Notebook to map the links in Bin Laden's tribal network and identify weaknesses. The same program has been used to track wanted Iraqis and catch serial killers in the U.S.

[The G Man]

I'll be surprised if it turns out Bin Laden survived Tora Bora.

[thesummerwind]

Mad Maddie Albright says they have his sorry a** already!

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

I successfully predicted Saddam Hussein's capture by Christmas back in October.

I now predict that OBL will be captured or killed by the time of the President's State of the Union speech early next year.

[Williams]

wow.

[Lurking in Kansas]

You are correct, sir. Everyone knows that we have already captured him. President Bush is just holding him until he is down in the polls. Sheesh.

[wayoverontheright]

I may be a little sensitive here, but it seems to me this article is designed to make our efforts look bad, note the lack of any American source in the article, with apparently no attempt to corroborate with our side.

[presidio9]

I'll be surprised if it turns out Bin Laden survived Tora Bora.

That's what I was thinking: We almost had bin Laden... But we forgot our shovels.

[mylife]

Hope all theses Talibum sources have been arrested.
I wouldnt trust any of it if the source is the Talibum.
Hey USA! We are hiding in a very remote and rugged area over here! Please spend your efforts in this Remote area.

Im calling Shennanigans on this one.

[Cicero]

The NY Daily News is hillary's personal newspaper.

[elbucko]

I'll be surprised if it turns out Bin Laden survived Tora Bora.

So would I. But I do hope he did survive so we can get 'em. He'd be going to Gitmo.

[elbucko]

Lately, Bin Laden has been sleeping in secret bivouacs surrounded by mines and high explosives designed to kill him and shred his body, ensuring he doesn't meet the same humiliating end as former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Taliban operatives told Newsweek.

Geez, what a load of Muslim bunk. If he is alive, he's been practicing, "Don't shoot"! in English.

[LS]

Even better, when Bush is introducing the "American heroes," he says, "I have another guest I want to introduce to you tonight, courtesy of the United States military: the murderer Osama Bin Ladin," then hits a feed from a "secure location" with that turd getting the lice picked out of his beard.

[freedumb2003]

Everyone knows that we have already captured him. President Bush is just holding him until he is down in the polls.

UBL's bunkmate circa last Tuesday.

[Steve_Seattle]

" . . . Taliban operatives told Newsweek."

How is it that Newsweek has access to Taliban operatives?

[mewzilla]

Ah, Newsweek. The rag that employs Spikey Isikoff. Now there's a reliable source of information :)

[mikegi]

Bin Laden had his own close call not too long ago, when a U.S. war plane passed overhead as the terror bigwig walked down a mountain trail, a senior Taliban planner, identified only as Zabihullah, told Newsweek. But the pilot apparently failed to see him as Bin Laden and his aides ducked into some bushes.

How is this considered a "close call"??? Oh, that's right, this is from a Leftist magazine who wants to make our people look bad and minimize the capture of Saddam.