Bin Laden 'boxed in' by US soldiers

The Weekend Australian ^ | 22 February 2004 | The Sunday Mail (Qld)

[MegaSilver]

OSAMA bin Laden is reportedly surrounded by United States special forces in a mountain range that straddles north-west Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Internationally respected investigative journalist and author Gordon Thomas says the al-Qaida terror group leader has been sighted for the first time since 2001 and is being monitored by satellite.

In a report to be published in a British newspaper, Thomas says bin Laden is in a mountainous area to the north of the Pakistani city of Quetta.

The region is said to be a stronghold for bin Laden supporters and the terror kingpin is estimated to have 50 of his fanatical bodyguards by his side.

Thomas attributes his report to "a well-placed intelligence source" in Washington who is quoted as saying: "He (bin Laden) is boxed in."

The area makes an all-out conventional military assault impossible, according to the report.

The plan to capture him would depend on a "grab-him-and-go" operation.

"US helicopters already sited on the Afghanistan border will swoop in to extricate him," the report says.

It continues by saying 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 3000m-high mountain peaks. Donkeys are the only transport."

The US special forces are "absolutely confident" there is no escape for bin Laden and are waiting for the order to snatch the shadowy terrorist leader.

The timing of that order will ultimately depend on President George Bush, the report says.

"Capturing bin Laden will certainly be a huge help for him as he gets ready for the election.

"It will be an even bigger bonus than getting Saddam."

The article goes on to say bin Laden's movements are continually monitored by a US National Security Agency satellite positioned over the land in which the wealthy Saudi is trapped.

Joint chiefs of staff chairman General Richard Myers said last week the US had been engaged in "intense" efforts to capture bin Laden.

But General Myers insisted that the focus of the search had not narrowed for months.

"There are areas where we think it is most likely he is, and they remain the same," he said. "They haven't changed in months."

Asked where bin Laden was hiding, General Myers said: "We think in that border region somewhere. We don't know precisely."

Bin Laden's whereabouts were discovered, according to the report, when US Central Intelligence Agency analysts – geographers and soil experts – studying the background in the al-Qaida boss's latest video suggested it matched rocks in the Toba Kakar ranges.

CIA agents, working with Pakistani guides, went from Afghanistan to the region to take photographs and bring out rock and soil samples.

These were flown to Washington where the CIA analysts electronically matched them to the video background.

A two-man special forces surveillance unit infiltrated the area.

"Within a week, they had picked up the first clues that bin Laden was around," according to a source quoted in the report.

"Other teams then slipped into the area.

"No helicopters were used, to avoid any alert."

Once the area was sealed, the special forces troops watched and waited for the order to go in and end the largest manhunt in history.

Bin Laden, head of the fanatical Muslim al-Qaida group, is alleged to have masterminded the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York and Washington.

[dennisw]

Captured dead or alive, bring GWBush the head of Osama Bin Ladin.

[PattonReincarnated]

> Four initials: MOAB

Good idea. And while we are at it, we should drop them on the Sunni Triangle in Iraq.

[Dave Olson]

I hope they catch him dead.

I do too. If he's captured alive, there'd probably be attacks by terrorists attempting to get him released. Assuming he stays in custody, he'd likely be provided an OJ Simpson dream team defense for a celebrety trial of the century lasting for years and costing multi-millions of $$. And even if he's sentenced to death, there'd still be more years of appeals costing still more millions. Meanwhile he'd be spending his days having three meals a day, a place to sleep and free health care in a place that, albeit a prison, is probably more comfortable than he's in right now.

[PattonReincarnated]

>> That's not possible. Mansoor Ijaz's unimpeachable sources has seen him recently in Iran,

Does Mansoor have a web site or anything? I missed that update from him - and FoxNews does not seem to acknowledge him on their web site anywhere (at least the last time I checked)

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

I say we'd better be careful not to execute him.

Yeah, the Red Cross will want to sponge-bathe him and feed him grapes.

[anonymous_user]

Pine boxed?

[dglang]

A better word, MOAB

[Incorrigible]

Actually, he's driving a cab in Seattle. Here's his latest photo:

[nuconvert]

Osama Pong

[nuconvert]

Osama Pong

[My2Cents]

Agreed. A little spring cleaning.

[nuconvert]

Another Osama Thread Going :

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1082721/posts

[alnitak]

I have given some serious thought to the best way to punish OBL, should he be caught alive.

Option 1) Dress him in a diaper and place him in a glass booth about the size of a telephone booth. The booth has a sliding floor which gradually withdraws. Under the floor is a tank of sulphuric acid...To be broadcast live on global TV.

Option 2) Amputate his arms, legs, tongue and genitals. Then place him in a transparent booth in Times Square for tourists to throw tomatoes at.

Alas, I suspect both options may fall foul of the prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.


alnitak - "Tough on homicidal terrorist maniacs, tough on the causes of homicidal terrorist maniacs"

[MegaSilver]

Yeah, the Red Cross will want to sponge-bathe him and feed him grapes.

Whoa, now... I would be more than happy to shoot the man. My concern is that killing him would make him a martyr.

[marty60]

Whatever they do, don't mess up the face. Leave some DNA etc. The crazies will never believe he is dead without proof beyond a shadow of doubt.

[gulfcoast6]

No, just tell him 'you had the right to remain silent'.

[norwaypinesavage]

"bin Laden's movements are continually monitored by a US National Security Agency satellite positioned over the land in which the wealthy Saudi is trapped."

They must be using the same science to position the satellite as the greenies use to prove global warming. Stationary satellites can only be located 22,500 miles above the equator.

[Capt. Tom]

Best I could do: Try this for a biography

[Paleo Conservative]

Stationary satellites can only be located 22,500 miles above the equator.

And orbiting from west to east.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Thank you for that wonderful photo and update on Tourist Guy. I hadn't realized he had gone to Mars. What is missing, though, is an aircraft (spaceship?) coming at him. Thank you again.