Posted on 09/11/2004 3:11:58 AM PDT by Jim Robinson
Edited on 09/11/2004 3:19:37 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Karachi, Sept. 11 (NNN): Three years on from his outfit’s most deadly attacks as the world still hunts for the Saudi rebel, Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid has indicated that Al-Qaeda terror network kingpin Osama bin Laden may be dead.
Addressing Meet the Press at Karachi Press Club on the eve of third anniversary of September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States, the minister, however, pointed out that around 200-300 foreign militants were hiding in Wana who are ‘master planners’ as they had got enough training in Afghanistan.
“We are not averse to dialogue but we would give bullet to bullet reply in Wana and Balochistan also,” Sheikh Rashid declared. “If we had not started operation in Wana, the US would have done this and think what would have happened then,” the minister asked.
He said that militants may go to other areas or cities but the forces would move there also as the government was determined to eliminate terrorism.
The minister hinted that the government was about to take ‘very important decisions’ regarding water, ties with India and terrorism.
“For bold decisions, bold man was imperative,” the minister said in an apparent reference to Gen. Pervez Musharraf, claiming that the 17th Amendment allows Gen. Pervez Musharraf to occupy the both offices of President and Chief of Army Staff simultaneously.
Widening Threat: Meanwhile, most analysts believe there is a danger in laying too much emphasis on al-Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden alone when the reality of growing terrorism is more complex - and perhaps more dangerous.
Undoubtedly that the core of al-Qaeda has been disrupted. It has lost its secure sanctuary and training camps in Afghanistan and is finding it harder to organise and communicate under pressure.
The core of hardened veterans has been hit hard in the past three years.
In his New York convention speech on September 2, 2004, President George Walker Bush declared that American strategy was succeeding and that "more than three-quarters of al-Qaeda's key members and associates have been detained or killed".
(Excerpt) Read more at indolink.com...
The tape I refer to was partially aired on Al Jazeera on December 26th 2001, and fully aired the following day. This was the tape where Bin Laden never moved his left arm (he is left handed) and appeared so weak and sick that there was a subsequent call across Islam for him to desist in making any further video appearances because it was claimed his appearance was hurting morale. A transcript of the partial airing is available at the third link below. You might find the full transcript through a search, but I'm coming up against a time deadline here, and don't have time to find it for you.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/09/06/ar911.bin.laden/
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/central/07/15/afghan.binladen/index.html?related
http://www.september11news.com/OsamaSpeeches.htm
Perhaps we should hunt down every hidey hole and stomp every nest of Jihadi until we either find his body, or our great great great grand kids say "Daddy, what was a Muslim?"
Dead or scared.
With all the comments advising he would be caught in a day, week or a month - he is afraid to move anywhere. Of course, he forgets, we know his aide is wherever he is, so better keep on hiding Osama.
Good morning!
He's a fully-decomposed grease spot in the Tora Bora caves, under millions of tons of rubble, back in Dec '01. IMO.
Yep, he's dead. Too bad the MSM won't come out and say it. It would be funny to see how the terrorists protectors of this secret would react.
My daughter and I have always stood by the death of OBL.
Osama Ben Laden to rest!
Yup:
He's Dead, Jim.
.
If you read the rest of the article, you will find that your assumption is wrong, and your suspicion is unfounded.
.
Dec10-13 was the height of the bombing of Tora Bora. On one of those nights, I remember the FoxNews ticker going apesh*t with things like: "White House notified of potential UBL location", "Calling in all available aircraft", etc... This was a day or two before we dropped the Daisy Cutter.
It's always been my belief that Osama and Omar were killed as they fled Kabul in Omar's Suburban. I recall hearing a report that we bombed Omar's suburban, and nothing after....
How is anyone going to get DNA, when a cruise missle hits right in the center of OBL and his security force?
Thanks for the heads up.
Woody
Just letting you know you're right! :)
Which came first -- the ass-kicking or the assassination attempt?
I believe it was the first discernible signs of Musharraf action that caused the assassination attempt (and not the other way around).
Semper Fi
Wana bet, the Fallujah model will succeed just like this. Remember, it took two years of preparation just to start the Wana operation.
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