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Thread 4. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1084291/posts |
Posted on 02/05/2004 8:31:17 PM PST by Mossad1967
Edited on 02/09/2004 3:20:18 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
SANAA, Yemen, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- A purported statement by al-Qaida in Yemen warned Saturday of a "major strike" soon in the United States.
The statement, distributed by the Yemeni Tagamoo Party for Reforms, said: "A major strike, a big event will take place in America soon," reminiscent of the Sept. 11 attacks.
1. Earlier this year, our military announced that they were "sure" they would capture OBL by the end of the year.
2. It's an election year, and Bush would benefit greatly from the capture of OBL, but it's not yet time to tip his hand. Like the October Surprise. Also, I think if we did have him, we would keep it quiet while the terror threat was high. We could have some serious terrorism problems if the world knows we got him. Kind of a last ditch effort to retain credibility and relevance.
3. Now we are getting reports that we have him surrounded in Pakistan, and it's only a matter of time before we swoop in on Blackhawks and grab him??? Very strange story, if you ask me.
4. Reports of media converging in Pakistan for a huge event. The same country where OBL is supposedly holed up in a cave.
I'm sure I've missed some pieces, but you get my point. All the news sounds way too convenient.
Ugh, that's disappointing. I always thought he was one of the most intelligent and thoughtful hosts on C2C. Who knows, you never can tell with people. :(
So I guess today is the "real" new year for the islamics? Isn't it when they spot the moon?
Yes knak at least for Pakistan. According to some other articles that I have read all Muslims do not agree exactly when the beginning of the new year starts. It could vary by a day. So if they don't know or cannot agree, we denifitely cannot say for sure.
By Rana Mubashir
ISLAMABAD: The Bush administration and majority of the Congress members are supportive of weapons sale to Pakistan, including P-3 maritime surveillance aircraft and harpoon anti-ship missiles.
The US-Pakistan security ties, which came to a halt after 1990 aid cut-off, have improved after Islamabads role in the US-led anti-terrorism campaign.
Giving details about Pakistan-US security co-operation, a diplomatic source said six C-130s from Lockheed Martin for about 75 million dollars under a Foreign Military Financing grant is also on the cards.
The Pentagon had also notified Congress of an additional three pending major arms sales to Pakistan, which are worth more than 300 million dollars. The six air surveillance, six air traffic control radars, and 40 Bell 407 helicopters are meant to enhance Pakistans ability to support Operation Enduring Freedom and to secure its borders.
The US Congress also was informed of another pending foreign military sale agreement worth 155 million dollars. Under this deal Pakistan is to receive six Aerostat surveillance radars, marking the first major arms sales to Pakistan in more than a decade.
A high-level US-Pakistan Defence Consultative Group - moribund since 1997 - met in September 2003 and included high-level discussions of military cooperation, security assistance and anti-terrorism.
TOKYO: A fire broke out Saturday on the roof of an out-of-operation Japanese nuclear power plant and was extinguished about 45 minutes later, a spokesman for the plants operator said.
There were no injuries and no radioactivity was released in the accident, said Shigehisa Osawa, a spokesman for Chubu Electric Co. The plant in the Japanese central town of Hamaoka had been shut down earlier in the day for regular inspections when the fire was reported at 0236 GMT on the roof of its electricity-generating turbine room, which is separate from the nuclear reactor, Osawa said.
Firefighters were called and the blaze was confirmed extinguished 0321 GMT, Osawa said. Rubber roofing is believed to have caught fire when hydrogen gas used to cool the turbine escaped from a roof duct; Kyodo News quoted firefighters as saying.
Plant workers had been removing the coolant from the turbine as part of their inspection. No further details were immediately available.
February 22, 2004
A BRITISH Sunday newspaper is claiming Osama bin Laden has been found and is surrounded by US special forces in an area of land bordering north-west Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Sunday Express, known for its sometimes colourful scoops, claims the al-Qaeda leader has been "sighted" for the first time since 2001 and is being monitored by satellite.
The paper claims he is in a mountainous area to the north of the Pakistani city of Quetta. The region is said to be peopled with bin Laden supporters and the terrorist leader is estimated to also have 50 of his fanatical bodyguards with him.
The claim is attributed to "a well-placed intelligence source" in Washington, who is quoted as saying: "He (bin Laden) is boxed in."
The paper says the hostile terrain makes an all-out conventional military assault impossible. The plan to capture him would depend on a "grab-him-and-go" style operation.
"US helicopters already sited on the Afghanistan border will swoop in to extricate him," the newspaper says. It claims bin Laden and his men "sleep in caves or out in the open. The area is swept by fierce snow storms howling down from the 10,000ft-high mountain peaks. Donkeys are the only transport."
The special forces are "absolutely confident" there is no escape for bin Laden, and are awaiting the order to go in and get him.
"The timing of that order will ultimately depend on President Bush," the paper says. "Capturing bin Laden will certainly be a huge help for him as he gets ready for the election."
The article says bin Laden's movements are monitored by a National Security Agency satellite.
On Thursday last week, General Richard Myers, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said America had been engaged in "intense" efforts to capture bin Laden, who was believed to be hiding in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
But he insisted that the focus of the search had not narrowed for months.
The Sunday Telegraph
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