Posted on 09/12/2001 6:09:38 PM PDT by Uncle Bill
Report: Extent of fugitive leader's arsenal 'no longer a doubt'
WorldnetDaily
By Jon Dougherty
© 2001 WorldNetDaily.com
April 28, 2001
Fugitive Saudi terrorist-sponsor Osama bin Laden is now known to have nuclear weapons, putting to rest previous speculation that left the possibility open, according to a weekly intelligence newsletter.
A report published in this weeks Geostrategy-Direct.com newsletter, edited in part by Washington Times staffers Bill Gertz and Robert Morton, indicated that bin Laden's possession of nuclear devices "is no longer a doubt."
"Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama bin Laden has nuclear weapons. The question is how many," the report said.
Gertz told WND he didn't write the assessment, but that the newsletter's primary editor, Morton, had a stringer in the Mideast who verified the information. Morton was out of his office and could not be reached for comment.
"Russian intelligence sources who are fighting bin Laden members in Chechnya believe [he] has a handful of tactical nuclear weapons," said the report. "Arab intelligence sources say the Al Qaida head has as many as 20 weapons."
Al Qaida is the name of the terrorist group bin Laden leads.
The report says "both sides agree" that the Saudi terrorist managed to acquire his weapons by supporting the Chechen cause with money and volunteers, in exchange for nuclear materials and technology.
Bin Laden "received [it] from Chechen insurgents who raided [Russian] nuclear installations for fuel and components around the former Soviet Union," the report said.
"With that came the recruits from among scientists from the former Soviet Union. The rest was easy," said Geostrategy-Direct.com.
The report said the actual location of the weapons is unknown, but "the assessment by both Arab and Russian sources is that bin Laden has managed to sneak at least some of the components to his lair in Afghanistan."
Bin Laden is one of the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives. He is wanted in connection with the Aug. 7, 1998, bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa -- one in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and the other in Nairobi, Kenya. Over 200 were killed in the attacks.
He is believed to have a connection to the Oct. 12 bombing of the destroyer USS Cole as it refueled in Yemen, WND reported Oct 26.
The State Department had no comment on the report, but other intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told WND that any reports dealing with bin Laden are taken seriously.
"Reports regarding bin Laden are always taken seriously and investigated," the official said. "He clearly poses a threat to U.S. interests around the world, so you can't dismiss every rumor out of hand. It wouldn't be prudent to do that."
In January, the New York Times -- quoting U.S. officials -- said bin Laden's organization was making attempts to manufacture chemical weapons and "buy enriched uranium," one of the main components of a nuclear device.
But as far back as August 1999, counter-terrorism experts said bin Laden may have acquired "up to 20 nuclear devices."
"Yosef Bodansky, a researcher of the House Task Force for Counter-terrorism and author of a new book on bin Laden, told a news conference on Friday that bin Laden has been seeking to follow up on his bombings of two U.S. embassies in east Africa one year ago. Echoing U.S. officials, Bodansky said bin Laden was thwarted in plans to blow up the U.S. embassy and two consulates in India last December and January," WorldTribune.com reported.
"It was also reported that bin Laden has biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and has received technical help from Iraq, Bodansky said. The nuclear weapons include suitcase bombs acquired through Chechen rebels," the paper said.
"The Russians believe that he has a handful [of nuclear weapons]. The Saudi intelligence services are very conservative. ... They are friendly to the United States [and] believe that he has in the neighborhood of 20," Bodansky said, as quoted by the Internet paper.
Bin Laden reportedly obtained and purchased the suitcase bombs from multiple sources, he said. He has a "collection of individuals knowledgeable in activating the bombs" and "is recruiting former Soviet special forces [to learn] how to operate the bombs behind enemy lines," Bodansky said.
He noted that, according to his research, most of the weapons had been transferred through Pakistan.
Related stories:
Oklahoma City Blast Linked To Bin Laden
Suspect Pegged In Cole Bombing
Bin Laden Calls For War Against U.S.
FBI Admits That Russian Nuclear Suitcases Hidden In Secret Locations In U.S.
Are Suitcase Nukes on the Loose?
FRONTLINE: Atomic Suitcase Bombs
Former Soviet spy: Small nuclear devices planted in U.S.
"A hooded, former Soviet spy with tales of threats to U.S. security was the star witness at a congressional hearing this week in California. The one-time military intelligence colonel testified that suitcase-sized nuclear devices are hidden on U.S. soil. "
Saudi Money Aiding Terrorist bin Laden
USA TODAY
By Jack Kelley
10/28/99- Updated 11:12 PM ET
WASHINGTON - More than a year after the U.S. Embassy bombings in East Africa, prominent businessmen in Saudi Arabia continue to transfer tens of millions of dollars to bank accounts linked to indicted terrorist Osama bin Laden, senior U.S. intelligence officials told USA TODAY.
The money transfers, which began more than five years ago, have been used to finance several terrorist acts by bin Laden, including the attempted assassination in 1995 of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Ethiopia, the officials said.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is expected to raise the issue with Prince Sultan, the Saudi defense minister, during his visit to Washington next week. Saudi Arabia, the main U.S. ally in the Persian Gulf, has pledged to fight terrorism.
According to a Saudi government audit acquired by U.S. intelligence, five of Saudi Arabia's top businessmen ordered the National Commercial Bank (NCB), the kingdom's largest, to transfer personal funds, along with $3 million diverted from a Saudi pension fund, to New York and London banks.
The money was deposited into the accounts of Islamic charities, including Islamic Relief and Blessed Relief, that serve as fronts for bin Laden.
The businessmen, who are worth more than $5 billion, are paying bin Laden "protection money" to stave off attacks on their businesses in Saudi Arabia, intelligence officials said. Bin Laden, whose family runs the largest Saudi construction firm, has called for the overthrow of the Saudi government.
The money transfers were discovered in April after the royal family ordered an audit of NCB and its founder and former chairman, Khalid bin Mahfouz, U.S. officials say. Mahfouz is now under "house arrest" at a military hospital in the Saudi city of Taif, intelligence officials said.
His successor, Mohammad Hussein Al-Amoudi, also heads the Capital Trust Bank in New York and London, which U.S. and British officials are investigating for allegedly transferring money to bin Laden. Amoudi's Washington lawyer, Vernon Jordan, could not be reached for comment.
Mahfouz's son, Abdul Rahman Mahfouz, is on the board of Blessed Relief in Sudan. Suspects in the Mubarak attack are linked to the charity.
Bin Laden faces U.S. criminal charges for allegedly masterminding the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed 224 people. Bin Laden, who is in Afghanistan, denies the charges.
Saudi Ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan declined to comment on the reports.
[End of Transcript]
Bin Laden Funneled Money Through UAE Bank
Bin Laden Getting Financial Support - Links
Osama Bin Ladens International Terror Network
Orrin Hatch Was BCCIs Mouthpiece
Gold Depositories Buried Beneath Trade Center Rubble
....
Bill, we really appreciate all you have tried to do. We've been crying for some time now. Some hear. Most don't. Those who hold the view of "It can't happen to me," should have had their worldview adjusted when the towers fell. I suspect that many did not. Most seem to view Pride as a virtue while the Bible says it is what God hates the most.
Bin Laden Cohorts In Arms Quest - Bill Gertz
"Islamic extremists linked to Osama bin Laden are seeking chemical or biological weapons and even nuclear arms that could be used in future attacks, intelligence specialists say. A U.S. intelligence official said yesterday there are reports that bin Laden's organization has acquired some type of nuclear device."
"If you don't get hit by a North Korean ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) over the next five years, chances are you will suffer a horrible, premature death when Osama bin Laden poisons your hometown water supply."
CIA intelligence chief John Gannon
Boy, that's a confidence builder.
Couple of Good Nuclear War Survival Primers...
Couple Good Nuclear War Survival Primers...
You Will Survive Doomsday (Eye-Opening Myth Buster!)
11 Steps to Nuclear War Survival (From Canadian version of FEMA)
Nuclear War Survival Skills (280 pg 'how-to' book on-line!)
Trans-Pacific Fallout (Don't be caught off-guard by these ill winds!)
Nuclear War Unthinkable? (Russian & Chinese Preps!)
...and...
Bruce Beach's Nuclear Survival Ark II Site
This last was recently updated and also includes FEMA Nuclear Weapon Target Maps by state along with survival info and groups specific for each! Enjoy!
Shane Connor, author of...
Potassium Iodide Anti-Radiation Pill FAQ
CHAPTER ONE: The Terror Trail - Osama bin Laden
I remembered I have something I wanted to pass on to you. I'll go see if I can find it, and then post it here for you. I think you'll like it.
Coming To a Town Near You - Chemical Terrorism
WMD - COMBINED STATEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WITNESSES
BIOLOGICAL TERRORISM TARGETING US CITIES?
List of Foreign Terrorist Groups
Clinton donor's biowarfare deal - Trie helped Chinese government to set up germ weapons operation
Bin-Laden with bad news - March 14, 2001
"The Los Angeles Times quoted Richard Clarke, a senior counter-terrorism adviser to both the previous and current administrations as saying that bin-Laden may have "sleepers" tucked away in as many as 50 countries.
But the United States is the prize target. According to Clarke, the United States came "'very close" to having "1,000 dead Americans at several different locations" as the nation celebrated the beginning of the Year 2000."
Botulism toxin seen as bio-weapon New Johns Hopkins study calls it 'major threat to public'
"U.S. officials have been concerned about the domestic vulnerability of the population at large in a terrorist attack since the mid-1990s. In fact, in 1997, the Clinton administration and the Pentagon implemented a program to train Army National Guard units to respond to terrorist attacks involving the use of chemical, nuclear and biological weapons.
However, a Pentagon inspector general's report issued this week said that despite spending $143 million to create 10 fully operational, 22-member teams by last year, the Guard has failed to field even one so far."
Saddam's female assassin squads
"While posted to the Iraqi army, I met many Russian and Chinese military advisers who were experts on biological and chemical war. There were also Japanese from the Om Shin Rikyo cult that did that nerve gas attack in Tokyo. They talked all the time about unleashing biological or chemical weapons in the major cities of the West and Western allies. At that time, I actually got to meet Dr. Hassan Izbah. He is called 'Dr. Death' by all who know him. He is the main person Saddam uses to work with various cults and terror groups around the world. To me he is a Nazi like Dr. Mengele."
Isn't that sweet of them? But, since the country is so full of individual, rugged, freedom loving independent patriots, who love the Constitution, small government, and the fresh breeze of liberty given to us by the Founders, and, who are well read, organized and prepared it shouldn't be a problem. I'm sure they'll know exactly what to do on a moments notice. So I won't worry.
He crashed Jetliners into New York.
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