Bin Laden 'surrounded'

The Sunday Telegraph ^ | February 22, 2004

[Patriot1998]

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.

[F16Fighter]

"Surrounded"??

Now's the time for Bin Laden to beg Bugs Bunny to "hide" him...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I was thinking microwave pork rinds would be nice.

[fqued]

Remember the "horrible" interview Bush did a couple weeks ago? Most memorable thing in that interview was when Bush was asked whether they knew where Bin Laden was. For the FIRST time, Bush ducked that question.

Astute observers like FR would have immediately suspected that Bush did, indeed, know where Bin Laden was, and that he was surrounded.

[roses of sharon]

Yesterday, in the WH press room, a reporter from India, asked if the WH had heard that the Paks caught OBL.

The WH said no.

It perked up my interest tho, why ask now?

[NautiNurse]

Nothing like telling them ahead of time

Thought about that too--although, if they are completely surrounded, they may alrady have a clue.

[In_25_words_or_less]

You're probably right. Too risky to wait. Too many things could go wrong. (That is if this story is true.)

[jmstein7]

New PRO-Bush ad with YOUR FReeper Suggestions Incorporated! CLICK HERE

[Cap Huff]

FWIW. I will venture to say that the British tabloid has probably pieced together some of the hints that are out there and spun up this story hoping it turns out to be true.

I don't like the little twist in the story that suggests that all that is waiting is the "go" from GWB based on political considerations. They don't quite say it this way (at least in this excerpted quote) but my guess is that is the general tone.

Anyway, we can dream that we really are this close to getting him.

[George W. Bush]

Like the WMD thing, I'll believe it when I see it.

[tdadams]

First Saddam, then OBL, almost in as many months. This should give a few dictators and tyrants around the world something to stew over.

[hoosiermama]

Do you think it may be "mind games" ?

If they wait till after the spring thaw....he may be on the move again. OTOH Do we need "good weather" to get in and back out?

[headsonpikes]

I want to see his head on a pike at ground zero.

Join the Movement!

[ctonious]

As I recall, the last time he was surrounded, our Afghani "allies" made a deal with us along the lines of "Hey, you give us money, we go get Osama, we throw in free rug."

Hope we've learned something.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Don't forget, Osama bin Laden is innocent until proven guilty. [/HowardDean]

[wtc911]

I agree. I have long thought that since OBL used video as a means of talking to both his tribe of killers and the world at large the absolute absence of any new visual tapings is because he's buried deep in some Tora Bora grave. I don't think we'll ever see the body. But until he is captured I am inclined to take the lack of current video as reason to believe he's in hell. Of course none of us know for certain.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

If OBL is captured Kerry might as well withdraw from the race.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The Sunday Express, known for its sometimes colourful scoops. . .

What does 'colourful' mean in this context?

[Jim Noble]

want to see his head on a pike at ground zero. I just told my wife the exact thing 5 seconds ago...

Weld him into a steel cage, and suspend it from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge over the New York Narrows entrance to Upper New York Bay.

Leave him there for a thousand years as a lesson to all entering NY Harbor about what happens to you if you f*ck with America.

[hoosiermama]

In that case, shot him first (trying to get away of course) and then bring his body out. Works for me!

[headsonpikes]

ONE HEAD - ONE PIKE!