Posted on 12/14/2004 1:00:49 AM PST by Snapple
Pak denies Osama sighted in Chitral region Dec 13, 2004 09:08:00 PM
.ISLAMABA FES95
Islamabad, Dec 13 (PTI) Pakistan today denied reports that terror mastermind Osma bin Laden was sighted in its Chitral region of the Northern Areas and the US forces launched operations to capture him. "He has not been sighted in Chitral or anywhere," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Masood Khan told a media briefing here today.
He also termed as rumours disinformaton campaign reports that US troops launched operation on the Chitral region to hunt bin Laden.
(Excerpt) Read more at ptinews.com ...
I hope.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/118934/1/.html
Senior Military Official:
"Here's what I think," said a senior military official. "I think somewhere up in the mountains in Chitral, Bin Laden lives in a house and lives with a family, and probably one bodyguard.
"And once every month, or probably once every two months, he walks 15 miles to another ruin somewhere where he meets with somebody, and then he walks back 15 miles. He doesn't have an HF modem, he doesn't have a satellite TV, DVD, he probably doesn't have any kind of radio."
"And that's probably the life he leads," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Start searching chitral+bin+laden to see what you can find.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62405-2004Dec13.html
• ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan said there was no evidence that Osama bin Laden was hiding in the country and denied a report that it allowed CIA agents to set up bases along the border to search for the al Qaeda leader.
Masood Khan, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, said bin Laden had not been seen anywhere and scoffed at reports he might be hiding in the Chitral region, in the country's scenic north.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/10409823.htm
Posted on Tue, Dec. 14, 2004
Bin Laden
Bin Laden not in Pakistan, officials say
The Associated Press
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan said Monday there was no evidence Osama bin Laden was hiding in the country.
It also denied that it allowed CIA agents to set up bases along the border to search for the al-Qaida leader.
Pakistani and American generals agree the trail for bin Laden has gone cold, more than three years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Masood Khan said bin Laden had not been seen anywhere and scoffed at reports he might be hiding in Chitral, in the country's scenic north.
“Osama bin Laden has not been sighted in Chitral or in any other part of Pakistan,” Khan said, adding: “There are no operations being conducted by U.S. forces inside Pakistan.”
President Gen. Pervez Musharraf previously has acknowledged that a small number of American experts were working with Pakistani troops in operations against al-Qaida militants. But he has denied that U.S. forces — deployed in neighboring Afghanistan — are actively hunting bin Laden in Pakistan.
A report Monday in The New York Times, citing anonymous U.S. officials, said the CIA had set up small bases along the border in late 2003, but the operatives were being hampered by uncooperative Pakistani military officials.
It said the CIA had concluded bin Laden was being sheltered by tribesmen and foreign militants in northwestern Pakistan, and that he could be aiming to launch a “spectacular” attack on the United States.
The issue is a sensitive one for Musharraf, who is under pressure at home from hard-liners.
“There are no CIA cells in Pakistan ... in our tribal areas, and there is absolutely no truth in this New York Times report,” said army spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan.
In an interview televised Sunday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said bin Laden was “definitely” in the region.
A senior Pakistani counterterrorism official said Monday U.S. officials had not found intelligence on bin Laden's whereabouts, although their information had helped seize some al-Qaida suspects in Pakistan.
Chitral and Balochistan
http://www.dawn.com/2004/12/14/top2.htm
In reply to a query regarding reports that Osama bin Laden had been sighted in Chitral and Balochistan, [Foreign Office spokesman Mr Masood Khan] said: "Osama has not been sighted in Chitral or any part of Pakistan."
http://www.keralanext.com/news/?id=78159
Pakistan ; Pakistan denies presence of bin Laden, US troops
18 Hours,41 minutes Ago
Pakistan News, Islamabad: Pakistan Monday ruled out Osama bin Laden's presence on its territory and said US troops were not conducting operations in any part of the country.
Foreign Office spokesman Masood Ahmed Khan told a weekly news briefing that reports about US troops' involvement in operations in Pakistan's territory were baseless.
If there is US troop movement within Pakistan, no doubt it will be kept secret and out of media's view. We'd have to crush them if a revolt broke out in Pakistan. That is one thing Bush managed to do that Clinton ignored; He managed to create a dialog and military co-operation with Pakistan. If that falls apart, we don't have many options,
There is too much at risk. Good thing Bush also has good relations with India, we might need them if all H*ll breaks loose.
http://www.khyber.org/images/maps/chitraldistrict.gif
This is a map of the Chitral district. You can see it is near that mountainous spit of Afghanistan that goes to China.
It is near Tajikistan, too.
Maybe it is CIA people more than the military.
Just my impression.
http://www.khyber.org/maps.shtml
Helpful maps.
The British fought here in the 19th Century. That movie about the "Man Who Would Be King" takes place in Chitral I read.
You are probably right. There are boots on the ground in Pakistan, but I highly doubt they are wearing fatigues. I know there is some periodic activity on the border that runs into Pakistan on occasion, but that is in co-operation with Pakistan. Before Bush took office, we didn't have ANY intel in Pakistan at all. It's one of the first things Bush did was to open that door, which Clinton simply ignored. He was too busy with Monica to worry about national security.
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=8954848a-5ee0-4413-9808-e2a6a6801be2
Bin Laden's trail growing cold with roadblocks put up by Pakistan
WASHINGTON - Three years after Osama bin Laden fled American bombs in his Tora Bora hideout, the search for the world's most wanted man has all but ground to a halt because of Pakistan's refusal to permit cross-border raids from Afghanistan, according to CIA officials. Washington has downgraded its efforts to catch the al-Qaeda leader inside Afghanistan, from where he supervised the Sept. 11 attacks, because it has become convinced he is hiding in Pakistan's lawless Tribal Areas that hug the 2,000-kilometre frontier. Islamabad, however, refuses to permit cross-border pursuits by U.S. special forces based in Afghanistan's mountainous frontier regions, agency officials told The New York Times. Even missions by unmanned Predator spy drones need Pakistani military approval involving a lengthy chain of command that frequently causes delays. Pakistan's President, General Pervez Musharraf, maintained earlier this month that while his forces continue to search, the bin Laden trail has grown cold and that the only matter he is certain of is that the terrorist leader is alive.
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/pk.html
This is a map of Pakistan.
This Chitral district is roughly around that town called Gilgit I think.
Who or Why, or Which or What,
is the Akhund of Swat?
Is he tall or short, or dark, or fair,
Does he sit on a stool or sofa, or chair
or squat
The Akhund of Swat?
Is he wise or foolish young or old?
Does he drink his soup and his coffee cold,
or Hot,
The Akhun of Swat?
Some one, or no body knows Iwot,
Who or which or, why or what
is The Akhund of Swat?
Written By Edward Lear 1862 . Akhund of Swat was the king of Swat before English He was a sufi who led his nation. Later after the English conquest English made His Son Jehanzeb the Wali (Owner) of Swat and in 1969 Swat came in full control of Government of Pakistan.
http://www.travel-culture.com/pakistan/swat.shtml
Chitral--the town
http://www.travel-culture.com/pakistan/chitral.shtml
Chitral located in the North west of Pakistan is a beautiful valley in the Hindukush range of Mountains. It has always been a very important route for many invaders to south east Asia, Including Alexander the great Scythians, Mangol Changez Khan and numerous others. Chitral is a small town with a one single street bazaar and a few tourist class hotels. At the end of Bazaar on the right (River side) there is the Chitral fort and Palace of Mehtar (Mir Or King) In front of the Fort is the Jami Mosque of Chitral an impressive architecture with beautiful inlays and decorations. You can get to Chitral from Swat via Dir drive to Dir on your Car where there are Jeeps available at Al Manzar Hotel which will take you via Lowari pass to the town of Chitral. There are also Hiaces (Vans) leaving from Swat but Jeeps are much safer. From Gilgit you can get a Jeep to take you to Phander (Below Shandur Pass ) You must overnight at a camp site and later continue to Chitral next day.
I've been saying for 4 months we'll have him by Christmas.
There's still time!!
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