U.S. focuses on Bin Laden links with Hizbullah, Arafat's Fatah

World Tribune ^ | 9/14/01

[truthandlife]

The United States is investigating whether a coalition of Palestinian, Iranian and Lebanese groups joined to help launch the suicide attacks in New York and Washington.

U.S. defense sources said the Pentagon and CIA are quickly coming to the conclusion that Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden was the sponsor of the attack. But they said Bin Laden is believed to have used a range of Islamic groups for logistics and support.

The groups being investigated include the Fatah movement headed by Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat, the sources said. Another group being examined for a link to the U.S. attacks is the Iranian-backed Hizbullah, Middle East Newsline reports.

"Most of it today points to Osama Bin Laden," Sen. Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, said. "But the speculation at the end of the road is that he and his network were very much involved with Hizbullah, Fatah and other."

Grassley was one of at least two dozen House and Senate members who were briefed by U.S. intelligence agencies since the bombing.

A U.S. official confirmed that the administration has not ruled out that Bin Laden was provided aid by a range of Arab and Islamic groups. But the official said no determination has been made.

"We want to be sure we understand all the connections, not just one connection," the official said. "As we find out who actually perpetrated the crime, as we find out who they're connected with, as we find out who could be considered harboring them, I think it'll come clear."

Analysts and some congressional sources are complaining that the Bush administration appears unwilling to thoroughly investigate the involvement of Iraq in the U.S. attacks. They said that the administration fears that targeting Iraq would dash hopes for an Arab coalition against terrorism in the Middle East.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the United States has not yet determined who was behind the bombing. Rumsfeld said a determination would have to be made soon.

The administration has requested $20 billion for a counterterrorism campaign. Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said much of the requested allocation would prepare the military for an expected counterattack.

"I don't think we know the breakdown yet, partly because the needs are so enormous," Wolfowitz said. "A significant piece of this is going to be to bring our armed forces to the highest level of preparedness."

[truthandlife]

We all saw how Yassir Arafat - THE father of world terrorism, spoke about how bad he felt over the greatest terror attack in the history of humanity - but we also saw how his people, the Palestinains, drunk on their "victory" in Durban, South Africa, went dancing in the streets, giving out sweets, and shooting in the air, to show how happy they were.

The Palestinains wern't alone, as the article we bring below from Egypt tells us...

On the other hand - reports in the Israeli media tell us of threats that were receievd by the foreign press agencies to destroy any and all pictures and videos taken of these celebrations. That is why you will only see pictures from East Jerusalem and Lebanon below.

GAMLA will do it's best to bring more of these picture from the other cities, Bethlehem, Nablus, Hebron, Tul Karem and more of the huge celebrations that went on there last night.

CLICK PICTURE TO ENLARGE	Celebrations in East Jerusalem
Celebrations in Lebanon

[griffin]

"Analysts and some congressional sources are complaining that the Bush administration appears unwilling to thoroughly investigate the involvement of Iraq in the U.S. attacks. They said that the administration fears that targeting Iraq would dash hopes for an Arab coalition against terrorism in the Middle East."

politics as usual. The blood of at least 5000 people (6,600 gallons of it) is not enough to put an end to political deals.

I wish I could say I was surprised.

[griffin]

color </font color> off.

[griffin]

</font color></font color>

[steveegg]

Let's see if this works.

This is something that bears close watching.

[steveegg]

If at first you don't succeed,....

[Hillary 666]

Arafat doesn't have the life expectancy of a house fly.

[Hillary 666]

There's a nice scumbag portfolio. Have fun celebrating the destruction of your countries.

[veronica]

FYI.