Pakistan, US deny capture of Osama's sons

Hindustan Times via AFP ^ | 3/7/03 | Hindustan Times

[Angelus Errare]

Pakistan's Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat on Friday denied reports cited by a provincial minister that two sons of Osama bin Laden had been arrested in a joint operation by Pakistani, Afghan and US forces in southeast Afghanistan near the Pakistani and Iranian borders.

"There is absolutely no truth in this report. There has been no arrest of this nature," Hayat told AFP, dismissing claims by Baluchistan province's home minister home Sardar Sanaullah Zehri.

A report from Quetta said the provincial minister in Baluchistan said he has been informed that two sons of Osama bin Laden were captured in a joint US-Afghan-Pakistani operation.

"I am in constant touch with the security forces. I was informed by intelligence agencies that the reports coming across the border (from Afghanistan) are that two of Osama's sons were caught and they were injured," minister Zehri told reporters in Quetta.

There was no independent confirmation of the reports the minister said he had received.

From Washington, a US official denied the reports of the capture as "not true."

"It's not true," said the US official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

That would be a good idea alright!

[Angelus Errare]

Saad, Hamza, and Saif bin Laden can all be seen on a videotape released a couple years ago when Hamza married one of Mohammed Atef's daughters. There's at least one other one of importance, Mohammed, but we have little clue what he looks like.

I heard the reason they suspect these might well have been his sons is that the convoy they were apparently traveling in was one that the US had flagged as being a potential bin Laden escapee route. Of course, if he survived Tora Bora and has been able to stay under the radar this whole time (remember last summer the FBI counter-terrorism guy figured he was dead, a position still held by many on FR), he must be quite good at evading US intelligence. This whole thing may actually be a giant smokescreen to distract the CIA while bin Laden makes a mad dash for Iran.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Another issue mentioned today is that the fire fight that our troops had with this convoy was fierce, indicating the bodyguards were protecting someone high in the al-Qaida organization. Monsoor also mentioned that the Pakistan government, specifically Mushariff (sp), has stated in the past that UBL was NOT in his country. The inference is that the good guys are close to finding UBL.

Of course, Monsoor might be working for our new Office of Strategic Information!

[Dog]

I found this tidbit is an article that is a few hours old..

Here..

They were arrested from Rabat area in Afghanistan," Zehri said from his home in Quetta, the Baluchistan provincial capital. The brothers were captured in the Rabat region in the extreme southwest of Afghanistan's Nimroz province where the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan meet.

Interesting .....this dovetails with what Mansoor Ijez said on Fox earlier....it was a raid on TWO CAMPS INSIDE Afghanistan.......with heavy fighting involved.

[Dog]

I gleamed this from an article....it took place in Afghanistan......read this..

They were arrested from Rabat area in Afghanistan," Zehri said from his home in Quetta, the Baluchistan provincial capital. The brothers were captured in the Rabat region in the extreme southwest of Afghanistan's Nimroz province where the borders of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan meet.

[Dog]

See post 24...

[b4its2late]

We'll know the truth in about 10 days.......

[TexKat]

Thanks for your research and ping.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Mansoor seems to have very good sources. Did you hear his comment that special ops forces do not want to capture [you know who] in Pakistan because Mushariff (sp) has said many times that [you know who] is not in his country?

I have been in the "UBL is Dead" camp for several months but I'm starting to have my doubts. Interesting...

[Dog]

I heard that also. This is what struck me.... we have a senior Pakistani government denying this....but if the news stories are true....the raid took place inside Afghanistan .....so why deny something that didn't take place in your country?

I would suspect every high ranking Paki official from now on......after finding KSM hiding with that high ranking politican's son..

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I'm thinking the convoy could be moving back and forth across the border and our guys are being very careful for two reasons:

1) don't want to kill the bugger (no more shoot outs)
2) politics inside Pak

Also, remember this might be the one-eyed Omar roaming around that we are tailing.

Good point on Khalid. Bad karma to make Gen. Mushariff look bad.

[Michael.SF.]

Who do you believe, the Paki or the Baluchi?

I can honestly say that no Baluchistani has ever told me a lie.

[blam]

".....so why deny something that didn't take place in your country?"

To give them time to transport them into Afghanistan.

[xJones]

I can honestly say that no Baluchistani has ever told me a lie.

And I can honestly bet that you wouldn't recognize a Baluchistanian if one bit you on the rear, anymore than I would. That has to be the most dismal province of Pakistan, which is saying a lot.

Best regards

[habaes corpussel]

"Mansoor Ijaz just said on Fox News that part of the problem is than not many in Pakistan know what Bin Laden's sons look like. He did say that we do have something significant after this fire-fight."

Ijaz the bin laden clock is ticking...............lest than a week left before you start sucking wind.......

[Mihalis]

I agree....and with the sons reported captured, we don't want our European "friends" to scream about the father-son martyrdom.

That would be ridiculous, as O'Reilly would say.

[Afronaut]

I would bet anyone that OBL is in US hands tonight. They would keep it quite until they are through with him. Do you think that information would go out immediately? I think he is either dead or alive but we got him. Looks real good.