Afghan official: Convoy had 4 al Qaeda members

cnn.com ^ | December 24, 2001

[Oliver Optic]

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A member of Afghanistan's interim government said Monday that four Arab al Qaeda members were in a convoy struck by U.S. warplanes last week.

Amanullah Zadran, minister of border affairs, said Stinger missiles and anti-aircraft weapons were fired from the convoy. U.S. warplanes fired back, Zadran said.

[Oliver Optic]

That's the whole article for now.

Merry Christmas, all.

[Semper Paratus]

That's four too many. That should make al_queda radioactive to anybody in contact.

[coloradan]

Score one for the good guys.

New bumper sticker:

Friends don't let friends transport Al Qaeda members.

[UB355]

Good shooting.

[TheOtherOne]

Convoy Hit By US Said Made Up Of Taliban, Al-Qaida,Locals

07:51 ET
Dow Jones International News
(Copyright (c) 2001, Dow Jones & Company, Inc.)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)--A convoy that was hit by deadly U.S. airstrikes included Taliban and al-Qaida members as well as local officials traveling to the inauguration of Afghanistan's new interim government, a powerful tribal leader said Monday.

If correct, the version of events from Amanullah Zardran would reconcile conflicting accounts of the attack Friday by AC-130 gunships and fighter jets. The Pentagon has insisted the convoy included enemy leadership, while some local officials claimed it was only a caravan going to Saturday's swearing-in ceremonies.

Zardran, a top leader in eastern Paktia province, home to one of the more significant al-Qaida bases at Khost, said fellow tribesmen who witnessed the attack briefed him. The base was the target of U.S. Tomahawk missiles in 1998 in retaliation for alleged bin Laden involvement in bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa.

About 350 al-Qaida - Chechens, Saudis and other nationalities - remain in the area, Zadran said.

He said he had confirmed the U.S. account that the planes came under fire from the ground after starting the nighttime attack. At least one Stinger shoulder-fired missile was launched along with antiaircraft fire in the Zarana area.

The death toll was reported to include four Arab al-Qaida members and 15 Afghans, Zadran said.

Another Afghan tribal leader who was injured in the attack, Haji Yaqub Khan, denied from his hospital bed Sunday that the convoy fired on the U.S. planes. He claimed the attack was unprovoked.

"There were no al-Qaida people or Taliban," said Khan, whose leg was broken in several places. "We have nothing to do with al-Qaida or Taliban. We are the supporters of Karzai and former King (Mohammad) Zaher Shah."

Maj. Brad Lowell of the U.S. Central Command said Saturday that American officials were certain they had not made a mistake.

"We are sure that was a military convoy ," he told The Associated Press by telephone. "The convoy was Taliban leadership. That convoy was destroyed."

(END) Dow Jones Newswires 24-12-01

1251GMT

[prophetic]

gee didnt I hear Mr Bush say something to the effect "anyone giving aid, financing or assistance to our enemy will be paying the price also"??

so you mean there IS a problem here???

[bayourod]

Shoot em all down and sort em out on the ground.

[Publius6961]

These einsteins really believe that anything they say will be believed.
My theory is that those were all Al qaeda and those who had made deals with them, and their support staff.
That made them all a valid target and an object lesson.
Yes even if (or specially if) they were headed to be part of the new government.

[Mixer]

Naturaly there will be some civilian loses in these bombings because the talibums and al-crapas hide among the innocent.

[antienvironmentalist]

I'm sure thoses other 56 people were all real productive members of society. They probably would have discovered the cure for cancer if we hadn't annihilated them. I'm really going to lose a lot of sleep over this one.

[Two Thirds Vote Aye]

That's 4 less potential suicide hijackers.

[denydenydeny]

Cause we got a little convoy
ain't she a beautiful sight...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good news, I was afraid we had messed up after all of the good things the armed forces had done!

I would bet they were going to Kabul to cause trouble!

[revtown]

They were going to Kabul to blow up the ceremony. The US saved the new government's ass. IMHO

[KC_Conspirator]

Well it looks like PMSNBC and a whole host of anti-American liberals have some explaining to do. Apparently they were both adamant about no Al-Queda members being in the convoy.

[revtown]

DITO: You're post wasn't there when I started.

[Sir Beowolf]

I think that's what you call "ground Checked" Shoot First ask Questions later

[AF68]

The original source for this story was the Afghan Islamic Press -- pro-Taliban and pro-al-Qaeda to the hilt. The liberal media love to use that propaganda rag as a "news" source. The U.S. military then has to spend a week trying to disprove a negative, phony story.

[Oliver Optic]

Amanullah Zadran, minister of border affairs, said Stinger missiles and anti-aircraft weapons were fired from the convoy.

Tribal elders, indeed.

[leadhead]

Old Saying: Lie down with dogs, get up with abbreviated a__h___s.