Posted on 03/02/2003 7:19:29 AM PST by Indy Pendance
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives intelligence committee said on Sunday the apprehension of a top al Qaeda leader in Pakistan will result in "other very successful activities soon."
Rep. Porter Goss, a Florida Republican who is chairman of the Select House Intelligence Committee, said the arrest of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America, would give U.S. law enforcement agents "more focus and more clarity on where to go and what to look at."
"This is a very huge event. This is the equivalent of the liberation of Paris during the Second World War," Goss told ABC's "This Week" program.
The lawmaker indicated that U.S. agents were already moving on information that was seized when Mohammed was arrested in Pakistan before dawn on Saturday, predicting the operation was "going to lead to other very successful activities very soon I am sure."
While ruling out torture of the suspect, who was described by U.S. officials as one of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's "most senior and significant lieutenants," Goss said, "I believe we will be successful in getting information ... that will link with other pieces that we have already."
He praised U.S. operatives working overseas for the grab, which he said proved the American operations have been working successfully behind the scenes.
A Pakistani official said Mohammed, a Kuwaiti in his late 30s, was handed over to U.S. custody and taken to an undisclosed location within hours of his arrest.
Goss also said he believed Mohammed knew where bin Laden was and had been in contact with him, though he declined to say if he had been told that by U.S. law enforcement agencies.
"I think he does know and I suspect he has been in contact with him as well, but I don't want to get into too much detail," Goss said.
Asked again if he knew Mohammed had been in touch with bin Laden, Goss said, "I can't say that. I can't confirm or deny it. I believe it but I can't confirm it or deny it."
"We have now taken out a big operative," he added. "While we're going about our business in our country we've got some men and women overseas doing some fabulous work for us."
Washington had put a $25 million price on Mohammed's head and he was one of 22 people on the FBI's list of "most wanted terrorists."
The September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington by hijacked airliners killed about 3,000 people.
I have maintained for some time now that increased captures of these sleepers and lieutenants will be the immediate pre-cusrsor to the military advance into Iraq.
The Administaration will want to minimize any enemy assets poised to carry out reprisals before we go in.
Yes, and these clymers contacted other al Queerdos, who contacted other al Queerdos. They have enabled us to find the dots, to connect them and to identify them.
As important as identifying the al Queerdos, we have their supporters in other Islamofacist Thug controlled countries.
"A former officer with U.S. Army Intelligence and the CIA, Porter brings personal knowledge and experience to his role as Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence."
No, I suspect it is very authoratitive too. My only concern is why would he say things to get the filthy creeps to change their behavior, lay low etc.. Very dumb unless it is intentional to stir them out of their nests.
LOL. I like that story making the rounds where Tom Delay asks a group of French Citizens if they speak German. When one of them answers, "No." Tom Delay says, "You're Welcome!"
I coresponded with him during impeachment. He's the real thing.
I didn't mean they were waiting to grab Shaike Mohammed right before going in.
I stated that right before going in there would be an increase in the number of these arrests.
If they strike and nab as many as the can as soon as they can, our guys will be faced with having to start the process all over because the ones they arrest will be replaced rather quickly the bad guys.
Better to keep them under surveillance and grab them right before we go in so there is no time for the other side to replace them and get their plans for reprisal attacks back on track.
Remember, the Iraqis and others have stated that if we attack Iraq, there will be a flood of reprisal attacks on US soil. I would take that threat seriously if I were in charge of security over here.
Definitely agree.
Sounds like a good read. That makes a lot of sense.
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