Bin Laden 'On The Run,' US Official Says(Ambassador J. Cofer Black, counter-terrorism office)

VOA ^ | Feb 28 2004 | Michael Kitchen

[Dog]

Bin Laden 'On The Run,' US Official Says Michael Kitchen Islamabad 28 Feb 2004, 15:13 UTC

A top U.S. anti-terrorism official says al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is on the run,<./b> amid what officials say is an intensifying hunt for fugitive members of the terror network. The U.S. official says he believes Osama bin Laden will be captured soon. Ambassador J. Cofer Black, coordinator for the State Department counter-terrorism office, say the United States and its allies will find Osama bin Laden.

"I feel confident that it will be sooner rather than later, although I'm not going to speculate on the exact date," he said.

In an interview with VOA, Ambassador Black said the United States knows Osama bin Laden is still in touch with other al-Qaida leaders, though on a limited basis.

"[The contacts are] infrequent, imperfect, but he still has contact. He has some limited form of contact," he said.

The U.S. government has blamed Osama bin Laden and his organization for the terror attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.

Ambassador Black says that, although Osama bin Laden still evidently takes a role in planning al-Qaida operations, the majority of his focus is now spent avoiding capture.

"He's on the run. He's hiding. He spends most of his time trying to keep from getting caught," he said.

Mr. Black was in Islamabad Saturday, meeting with Pakistani counterparts to discuss anti-terrorism issues.

Pakistan launched a military operation Tuesday aimed at flushing out suspected foreign terrorists in the semi-autonomous South Waziristan agency.

On Saturday, the Pakistan military says one of its checkpoints in the South Waziristan capital of Wana engaged in an early morning shootout with an unknown vehicle.

Eleven people were reportedly killed in the incident, including civilian bystanders.

Military officials report 16 arrests following the incident, and say an investigation is under way.

The military says the firefight coincided with a mortar attack on their forces in Wana.

South Waziristan is located along the Afghan-Pakistani border, where Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding.

[johnb838]

Remember that scene from Saving Private Ryan where the Jewish kid was shaking his Magen David at the line of German prisoners and taunting them with "ya see that? Juden, ya kraut b*stards, Juden... how ya like them apples?" Awesome.

[txrangerette]

The incumbent runs on his record.
Bush's record vs. Kerry's. No way
OBL'S capture added to W's record
would be anything but huge in his
favor.

IMO

[unspun]

Almost time for your dialysis, Mr. Bin Ladin.

[NCPAC]

I hope we catch him alive and get film of someone dousing him with the blood of a slaughtered pig. We can show THAT to all the Islamanics over and over and over,....

[Squantos]

Agree........Usama hisself took credit. No blame.....he acknowledged he was the mastermidget that planned that event. Long Rope and long fall solution IMHO if the Snake Eaters don't harvest his ass first.........

When I was active duty and in far off places the singular sources of nooooze was the BBC. In most cases they were more accurate than the VOA . Guess they still are. And at the scary low level of BBC accuracy we see today that makes the VOA pretty much whale shit in the trench .

Stay safe !

[ohioWfan]

Good post, Dog!

Only a matter of time..........

[Jeff Chandler]

borrowinf the words from phil collins...i can feel something's in the air tonight.

More like McCartney..."Bin on the run. Bin on the run!

[VRWC_minion]

The U.S. government has blamed Osama bin Laden and his organization has taken credit for for the terror attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.

Bias ? What Bias ?

[timydnuc]

Catch him, try him, and hang him, and hang him high. This piece of fecal material deserves much more torture that this, but I just want him hanged, with a good knot.

[Coachm]

A RECTAL exam with a M16 would be better for OBL!

[Travis McGee]

South Waziristan? is that just east of North Shitizstan?

"Ickystan" ping.

[Travis McGee]

They may have his locale fixed to a few dozen grid sqauares, but in an area that's almost impossible to penetrate with govt troops, with 100% certaintly of a snatch. So yes, this is probably meant to make OBL bolt, and run into a checkpoint, or into a sniper's view.

[Travis McGee]

I want to see Private Izzy Rosenfeld pulling OBL out of an outhouse.

[TN4Liberty]

That would be an interesting theory. Suppose the US has intel that upon his capture, attacks against US interests will commence. So if the US captures OBL, they would not announce it until the attacks could be identified and countermeasures established.

If the threat level goes orange soon, could that be a precursor to an announcement?


Tin foil appropriately donned.

[Types_with_Fist]

Yeah, yeah. Osama is "on the run." He's "near capture." He was "captured a long time ago." The "sand in the hour glass is running out." We've "got him surrounded." I know, I know.

[contessa machiaveli]

we're probably cleaning up the trash in and around osama, cutting communications between al qaeda, we've probably rounded up his top henchmen (except for mullah omar)...who knows, maybe he's off being interrogated somewhere.

i think the countdown has begun.

[Stultis]

Please,please,please...

Alive & undignified!

[Stultis]

"We have to run them down like dogs. When we get them, they will have flies walking across their eyeballs."

~~~CIA Counterterrorism Center Chief, Cofer Black, to Director George Tenant, regarding planning for the Afghanistan campaign

[Stultis]

However, if we are close to getting UBL.....why all the "leaks"?

To suppress and forestall enemy (Islamist/Democrat) propaganda. I.e. that it was a "fluke," we just got lucky; we've had him for months; the Kurds captured him, drugged him and put him in a hole; etc, etc, etc...

[dozer7]

"South Waziristan? is that just east of North Shitizstan?"

Actually is is to the south of Whackastan