Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Reported Captured

The Fourth Rail ^ | September 11, 2006 | Bill Roggio

[No Truce With Kings]

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Reported Captured

The commander of Hezb-i-Islami and al-Qaeda ally detained during a raid in eastern Afghanistan

On the day of the fifth anniversary of the 9-11 attack, Coalition forces score a high value target in Afghanistan. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the commander of Hezb-i-Islami and ally of al-Qaeda and the Taliban, has been captured during a joint U.S. and Afghan Army raid in “eastern Afghanistan.” Hekmatyar, contrary to his rhetoric gave up to the Coalition forces without a fight. Hekmatyar's arrest is said to be part of an 'ongoing operation.'

Hekmatyar has been designated by the U.S. Department of State as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist “ and “has participated in and supported terrorist acts committed by al-Qa’ida and the Taliban.” The 9-11 Commision report indicates Osama bin Laden kept lines of communication open with Hekmatyar. “bin Laden apparently kept his option open, maintaining contacts with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who, though an Islamic extremist, was also one of the Taliban's most militant opponents,” states the report.

Hekmatyar fought against the Soviets, was prime minister of Afghanistan in the mid 1990s, and became an anti-Taliban fighter until the collapse of Afghanistan's Taliban government in December of 2001. After the U.S. operation, Hekmatyar threw in his lot with the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and brought Hezb-i-Islami into battle against the government of Hamid Karzai. Hezb-i-Islami split in two, with a section loyal to Hekmatyar (know as Hezb-i-Islami Gulbuddin or HIG). HIG has influence particularly with Afghan refugees in western Pakistan.

The capture of Hekmatyar is a major blow to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, as it provides an opportu nity to split his organization. HIG is considered one of the major Anti-Government Elements (or AGEs) in Afghanistan. And Hekmatyar may be privy to valuable information about the location of high level al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders.

[AmericanArchConservative]

...."Hugh and series..."

..."I'm stuned! My beeber is overloaded..."

[ooooolllllldddd FReeper "Troll thread" joke]

A.A.C.

[SaxxonWoods]

Don't know that this is any better, but from Instapundit:

UPDATE: Maj. John Tammes emails:


I cannot tell you how delighted I am to hear that S.O.B. Hekmatyar Gulbuddin has been caught. His bunch, the HIG or Hezb-i-Islami Gulbuddin (The Party of Islam, Gulbuddin faction) was a royal pain in our butt, up in the Northeastern part of Afghanistan.

I know everyone at Bagram AF will be happy about it - that guy's bunch shot a whole bunch of 107mm rockets into the base. He also had issued threats to civilian authorities working with the Coalition. My very brave friend, the District Attorney of Bagram District, Kabir Ahmad, was one of them.

This is a very good day for Afghanistan.


I hope they keep up the good work, in this "ongoing operation."

posted at 08:51 PM by Glenn Reynolds

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

I can't find anything else either. But I bet it is an accurate report.

[Wiggins]

Worry Zawahiri, worry. You are the one who should worry.Your time is coming soon.

[tcrlaf]

"I certainly hope they sent this dude to a place where the interrogators have no compassion, have had family destroyed by Islamists and KNOW how to make a man talk...."

This guy is indirectly responsible for the assassination of the Afghan's National hero....

Somehow, I don't think the term "Compassion" is going to apply here!

[tcrlaf]

Pakistan's support of his group over Masood was the cause of the power Vaccumn that allowed the ISI-supported Taliban to rise to power..

The ISI knew they could never control Masood, so they started the Taliban as a counter.
Hekmatyar was a useful idiot who was dumped by the Paki's, rescued by Masood, embraced by the iranians, and for sale to the highest bidder...

[Roy Tucker]

Is this true as I don't see any update on Google News for the last six hours? Nothing on Bloomberg either.

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1699838/posts


Seven al-Qaeda suspects arrested in eastern Afghanistan
Deutsche Presse-Agentur ^ | Sep 11 2006

Posted on 09/11/2006 11:54:15 PM PDT by Mount Athos

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "In an operation launched by Afghan coalition forces in eastern Afghanistan, a known al-Qaeda facilitator and six other suspected al-Qaeda associates were detained, coalition forces said.

The commander of the Hizb-i-Islami militia in Hafezan in the eastern province of Nangarhar, Gulbuddin Hikmatyar, was arrested after credible intelligence led Afghan and coalition forces to his compound, the statement said.

No shots were fired and there were no injuries reported.

Hikmatyar, the former prime minister of Afghanistan, announced jihad or holy war against what he called the US invasion of Afghanistan four and half years ago and the joint opposition of the Afghan government by Taliban and al-Qaeda in the fight against coalition forces.

Two other al-Qaeda suspects were arrested last week in the south- eastern province of Khost.

Meanwhile, International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) and Afghan Army forces killed 92 Taliban fighters in the past 24 hours, in the southern province of Kandahar, NATO said in statement.

The statement said the figure was separate from the 94 insurgents reported as killed in other incidents early Sunday, but it left room for doubt about the accuracy of battlefield casualties."

ARTICLE SNIPPET #2: "At least 21 NATO troops have been reported killed on the operation.

The military's statements during the operation have put the number of Taliban casualties at over 510.

Meanwhile, a suicide bomber killed as many as seven and injured 29 at the funeral of an Afghan governor in the south-eastern province of Khost, officials said.

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said a young man entered the crowd of people taking part in the burial ceremony for Hakim Taniwal, the former governor of Paktia province, and detonated explosives he was wearing.

Most of those who lost their lives were policemen. The speaker of Khost provincial council, a member of the council, four journalists, and Khost's deputy police chief were among those who were injured in the blast.

Two ministers in the Afghan cabinet were also taking part in the ceremony, which they escaped unharmed.

Paktia's governor was killed with his assistant and a bodyguard in a suicide attack Sunday at the gate to his office, while 4 others were injured.

In a separate incident between Sunday night and Monday morning, 20 Taliban fighters were killed when Afghan Army forces launched an operation to recapture Garmsir district in Helmand province that the Afghan Government lost control of four days ago."

[Rate_Determining_Step]

I vote waterworld waterboarding for him.

Then an anal probe for style points.

[MEG33]

Good news!

[jeffers]

ping

[Beckwith]

I think people like Rall should be brought to the U.S.

I thought he was an American and lived in the U. S.?

[mewzilla]

So the Iranians no longer liked the guy? That's got to say something, but I'm not sure what :)

[jeffers]

Hekmatyr is a player in his own right, good sized organization, he probably picks up bits and pieces of intel not available to the average listener.

he could spill the beans on osama, in fact, probably would if he knew something and though it would help himself.

No guarantees, but the possibility is there. He knows his way around the Parrot's Beak from a long way back, and it isn't very far from there to Bin Laden's strongholds and old projects west of Miramshah.

[stocksthatgoup]

Congratulations Mr. Hekmatyar:

You have one an all expense paid trip of your choice to A)a Carribean Resort, B)an Afgan retreat and retirement center or C)an undisclosed secret "suprise" get away.

Your answers will determine your trip of a lifetime!

[stocksthatgoup]

one = won ----- early morning brain cramp

[No Truce With Kings]

"I don't see any update on Google News for the last six hours? Nothing on Bloomberg either."

It is good news. You will not see it on the drive-by media until they absolutely have to print it (when an official announcement is made. It seems to be all over the Afghan milbloggers, who are close to the scene. It could be rumor, but I think it is real. Roggio has a reputation for accuracy.

[jeffers]

If it happens in Paktia, Hekmatyr probably had a hand in it. That's his old stomping grounds.

Nice to see this guy off the street, especially since he choose not to fight to the death. He should be willing to trade info for consideration, a potential gold mine.

Haqqani would be a nice catch too, but I'm not looking any gift horses in the mouth.

[stocksthatgoup]

[Lazamataz]

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Reported Captured

He should be vigorously prosecuted just for having such a silly name.