Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bin Laden on the Move Al Qaeda Chief, Top Aide Believed to Be Back in Afghanistan
ABC News ^ | Feb. 24— | Brian Ross

Posted on 02/25/2004 1:33:52 AM PST by Anti-Bubba182

Bin Laden on the Move Al Qaeda Chief, Top Aide Believed to Be Back in Afghanistan

By Brian Ross

Feb. 24— Osama bin Laden and his No. 2 man have moved out of Pakistan and are believed to have crossed the mountainous border back into Afghanistan, U.S. intelligence officials tell ABCNEWS.

The intelligence reports come as Arabic television stations aired audiotapes purportedly made by bin Laden's top aide, Ayman al-Zawahri. In one of the tapes, a man said to be Zawahri taunts President Bush and threatens new attacks on the United States.

Zawahri and his boss, bin Laden, moved out of Pakistan as that country's army stepped up pressure on tribal leaders in the far western area of Waziristan, U.S. intelligence officials tell ABCNEWS. The homes of suspected al Qaeda sympathizers in that region have been set on fire and there have been numerous arrests.

Officials tell ABCNEWS they believe the two al Qaeda leaders have slipped across the mountainous border and re-entered Afghanistan.

Konar, Afghanistan, is about 200 miles from bin Laden's last suspected hiding place in Pakistan. (ABCNEWS.com)

U.S. troops lack the authority to hunt for bin Laden in Pakistan, but they are free to operate in Afghanistan.

Among the places now targeted for a major spring offensive is the Afghan province of Konar, where some U.S. troops are already operating, officials say. It's about 200 miles from bin Laden's last suspected hiding place in Pakistan.

U.S. forces are scanning the area with satellites and unmanned predator aircraft armed with hell-fire missiles. But winter cloud cover has made it difficult to keep a constant clear eye on the area, a situation not likely to improve for at least a month.

Voice Probably Zawahri

Wherever the al Qaeda leaders are, the CIA says the voice on the tapes broadcast today is probably that of Zawahri. The speaker on the tapes refers to recent events — including a direct reference to President Bush's State of the Union claim that two-thirds of the al Qaeda leadership had been arrested or killed.

"Bush," said the voice on the tape, "fortify your targets, tighten your defense, intensify your security measure because the fighting Islamic community, which sent you New York and Washington battalions, has decided to send you one battalion after the other, carrying death and seeking heaven."

Another tape condemns a new French law banning ostentatious religious displays in school, including the wearing of headscarves by Muslim schoolgirls.

The voice on the tape calls it another example of the "Crusaders' malice" against Muslims.

According to former French defense analyst Alexis Debat, "that statement is not just a political commentary, but also in many ways, a call for action. And it has a lot of counterterrorism officials worried that it could trigger some sleeper cells into action."


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaedapakistan; alzawahri; binladen; binladenpakistan; hammerandanvil; huntingbinladen; manhunt; pakistan; southasia; waziristan; wot; zawahri
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-54 next last

1 posted on 02/25/2004 1:33:52 AM PST by Anti-Bubba182
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Anti-Bubba182
If you run, you'll only die tired.
2 posted on 02/25/2004 1:47:58 AM PST by GaltMeister
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dog
Ping!
3 posted on 02/25/2004 1:50:26 AM PST by Miss Marple
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Anti-Bubba182
As President Bush said "there's no cave or hole deep enough to hide".
4 posted on 02/25/2004 1:50:57 AM PST by dc-zoo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Anti-Bubba182
Tenet just made a trip to the region over the weekend. Jim Meceda of NBC News was reporting from Islamabad yesterday. Brian Ross also has good sources. Something is about to pop. I hope!
5 posted on 02/25/2004 1:54:31 AM PST by leadpenny (What happens if you get scared half to death twice?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Anti-Bubba182
I find it very difficult to believe that:
ABL would leave the crowded cities of Pakistan.
If he did, big mistake by him.
6 posted on 02/25/2004 2:13:26 AM PST by greasepaint
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: leadpenny; Dog; swarthyguy; Coop; Boot Hill; Angelus Errare
Actually, I believe the Tenet visit was 11-12 February. Some on the forum have been talking some about this for a good week and a half:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1077316/posts

Note in particular from about post 15 onwards.

What you say though is very interesting. Note that the link above from a couple of weeks ago had suggested a lot of media interest at that time. Nothing seemed to pan out from the hint there, but maybe this time.

On another thread today I linked to an Australian source that cited ABC News:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1084298/posts?page=36#36

At the time I thought it was refering to Australian Broadcasting. I think they use ABC as well which may cause confusion. In any event the article here is quite clearly the U.S. network.
7 posted on 02/25/2004 2:43:49 AM PST by Cap Huff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Cap Huff
Thanks for the clarification.

Watching and waiting!
8 posted on 02/25/2004 2:52:06 AM PST by leadpenny (What happens if you get scared half to death twice?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: leadpenny; Dog; swarthyguy; Coop; Boot Hill; Angelus Errare
Here's a Reuters link:

http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp;:403c776a:98f8df6241de5ef?type=worldNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=4432927

Conflicting reports that Zawahri has been taken. I tend to doubt it, but certainly is possible.
9 posted on 02/25/2004 2:58:55 AM PST by Cap Huff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Cap Huff
Correction: SON OF Zawahri.
10 posted on 02/25/2004 3:01:56 AM PST by Cap Huff
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Anti-Bubba182
Gee and there were all those stories about the heavy cloud cover. too bad satelites can't penetrate clouds.
11 posted on 02/25/2004 3:06:01 AM PST by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory
I can't wait until that turbaned f%#ktard gets his.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

12 posted on 02/25/2004 3:18:40 AM PST by section9 (Major Motoko Kusanagi says, "John Kerry: all John F., no Kennedy..." Click on my pic!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: section9
My question is whether this will be a military trial or a civil trial?

I would definitly vote for consideration of using a jury with more alternates than usual, even if it doubles the size of the jury. Also, don't tell the alternate jurors they are alternates. (keep the extras thinking they are going to deliberate.)
13 posted on 02/25/2004 3:23:14 AM PST by longtermmemmory (Vote!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Cap Huff; Dog; swarthyguy; Coop; Angelus Errare; Anti-Bubba182
Sorry about being AWOL, I've been out of town for a couple of days.

For what it's worth, I think this story about OBL moving, Zawahiri's tape, and the Konar campaign are intentional mis-directs, dis-information, etc. That being said, here are some maps to gain some perspective about places mentioned in the thread article.

Map #1 -- The Wana Campaign area...


 

Map #2 -- The so-called Konar Province Campaign area... (centered around Asadabad)


Now to put these in perspective relative to Islamabad, Kabul, etc., click on the following link, which will open in a new window.

Map of Afghanistan

On the Afghanistan map, half-way down the Afgan/Paki border, find Paktika Province and the Gumal river. The river leads into Pakistan and past the town of "Tank". Wana is located about two-thirds the way from Tank to the Afghan border. This is where map #1 (above) is centered.

Now scroll the map up and about two mouse arrows north of Peshawar, you'll see the Afghani province of Konar and its capitol, Asadabad. This is where this article (and a couple of other articles lately) have alleged that another campaign has begun or is about to begin. I don't buy it anymore than I buy the dis-information that al-Qa'ida is hiding in Gilgit, Kashmir. Anyway, Konar Province is where map #2 (above) is centered.

--Boot Hill

14 posted on 02/25/2004 3:47:06 AM PST by Boot Hill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: section9
I think that you need towork on your morality.
15 posted on 02/25/2004 3:49:31 AM PST by garylmoore (It is as it was)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: garylmoore; section9
Gee, Gary, what would you suggest we do when we capture that mass-murdering SOB? Give him a big slobbery kiss, instead?

--Boot Hill

16 posted on 02/25/2004 3:59:32 AM PST by Boot Hill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: garylmoore
Rather a mild statement about a man who helped plan the murder of almost 3000 of our citizens and cost us great economic harm.

You are not looking forward to catching and bringing justice to this murderous fanatic?
17 posted on 02/25/2004 4:08:09 AM PST by MEG33 (John Kerry's been AWOL for two decades on issues of National Security!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: MEG33
btt
18 posted on 02/25/2004 4:19:33 AM PST by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory
Trial for Bin-Laden? I hope not... no need to give him any rights, he's not an American citizen and won't ever step foot on American soil. What gives him the right to a trial?
19 posted on 02/25/2004 4:24:29 AM PST by NYCop (Bush, the right choice for real men)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: dc-zoo
As President Bush said "there's no cave or hole deep enough to hide".

"Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, to keep me from getting to you!"

20 posted on 02/25/2004 4:26:58 AM PST by Semper Paratus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-54 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson