There were listening devices all the compund and much phone evesdropping.
Mushy came to realize that the mujahids were in control not Ghazi and that the protracted talks were a stall to allow more defensive measures and get the high value targets out.
Ghazi was constantly presenting new demands. Mushy stepped in a few minutes after the last demands by Ghazi and instead of obeying a two hour time out to consider the demands, Mushy ordered an immediate surprise attack to catch them off guard and that largely worked.
There were foreign mujahids and high value Afghan targets when the attack began. They have disappeared. there was talk of an exit tunnel that was found. More importantly a group of young boys came running out of the basement kitchens as commandos moved in. They said that they had been held as shields but that all of the mujahids suddenly disappeared at the appearance of the commandos. NOt to be seen again in the fight.
As usual, Tora Bora, Spin Boldak, etc. these mujahids when given the time to plan and manuever always create a back door. Otherwise UBL and other leadership are too careful to get into potential dead end traps.
Aziz was captured and as I said he was in disguise to escape the mujahids not the PA. The PA offered him a deal of house arrest, etc. if he will talk. He knows much about the Taliban/AQ/UBL/Zawahiri as he ran the "post office/messenger service".
Let's hope we can roll a few more up. This was a good day for Pakistan, the Taliban/AQ no longer have free rein, look for more cooperation with us.
Checking out.....
Thanks for the great reports and analysis.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/07/11/do1106.xml
excerpt
Critics noted that the Red Mosque first earned a reputation for militancy in the 1980s, under its founder, Maulana Abdullah, who used to work for Pakistan’s military intelligence.
When he was assassinated, the mosque was taken over by his sons, Abdur Rashid Ghazi and Mohammed Abdul Aziz. Both were at one time in the pay of the government as civil servants.
Excellent update. Why anyone gives these terrorists time for their exit strategy—again and again—has become tiring and very discouraging. And when they give someone house arrest, who is to say that the “truth” will come out? More time-buying, IMO.
A classic moment in FR reporting.