Pakistani Forces Chase al-Qaida Members(Update on the border operations)

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-pakistan-border-operations,0,7625648.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines ^ | February 27, 2004 | By DANICA KIRKA

[Dog]

Pakistani Forces Chase al-Qaida Members

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press Writer

February 27, 2004, 12:55 PM EST

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistani forces moved into selected areas of their country's border with Afghanistan after satellite telephone intercepts indicated al-Qaida members were hiding there, security officials told The Associated Press on Friday.

There was no indication al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was involved in the conversations, but two intelligence officials said participants discussed a man called "Shaikh" -- a code name for bin Laden.

"Some people who were speaking in Arabic have been heard saying Shaikh is in good health," one of the intelligence officials told AP.

The conversations took place last year, the official said, but it was not clear when the United States shared its information with Pakistan.

[Angelus Errare]

Sheikh is al-Qaeda lingo for "elder" and could refer to anyone within the group. If that's all they've got, then they're likely just going to deal with the mid-level folks in the border areas rather than the core leadership.

[Dog]

I didn't know if we could post a Newsday article....so I excerpted it.

[js1138]

The conversations took place last year...

Missed him by that much.

[Dog]

The women picked up in the Wana raid were Afghans.

Here..

It was also learnt that three of the four Pushto-speaking women, who were detained during the operation and later turned over to the tribal maliks in line with local traditions, were Afghans.

An official said the four passports bore visas dated October 2003 and issued by Pakistan's consulate in Zahedan, Iran, adding visas on two of the passports had expired only last week while visas on the other two passports were valid until August 2004.

An official called for stricter visa regime while investigators said they would like to question the women about the whereabouts of their men. They were also wondering as to what were the Kazakhs doing in South Waziristan. And it seems the 15 targets of the raid heard the copters inbound and fled the area to nearby mountains.

[swampfox98]

Wish we had some Pakistani border guards here in the US. They might catch Bin Laden coming in to America through Organ Pipe National Park.

[Cap Huff]

I think maybe this is what Rumsfeld meant when he said "Close doesn't count." Shucks.

[LurkedLongEnough]

"In good health" = code words for "safe in a Saudi palace".

[SunkenCiv]

Pakistani forces moved into selected areas of their country

That's a nice change. ;')

If bin Laden gets captured before the election, it could have a negative impact on Bush' campaign. Right now there are doubts that Bush' opponents could do any better a job. Once bin Laden is found, the media smears against Bush (that he's destroying the Constitution -- a libel found in Carville's letter the DNC sent out months ago, among other places) may start to carry more weight, since the apparent need will have been removed.

The US needs to remove Chavez in Venezuela. Venezuela is the US' largest single foreign supplier of oil, and Chavez and his cadre have been dismantling Venezuela's constitution and democracy, with the immoral support of Castro.

Haiti is of no importance whatsoever, with or without another Castro-style regime. Let the [characterization deleted] French take care of it -- it's their former colony.

[SauronOfMordor]

Let the [characterization deleted] French take care of it -- it's their former colony.

Haiti has been independent since 1804.

[Iberian]

Funny Dog, it looks like the pajama patrol is at it again. Reminds me of the old Keystone Cops movies.
I wish they would leave the job to real men and women of the 101'st and the SEALS.

[Iberian]

I agree, I posted earlier on that subject. We need to clean up this hemisphere and get rid of Castro / Chavez.