Bin Laden 'spotted in Afghan mountains'

independent.co.uk News ^ | 03/10/03 | Andrew Buncombe & Rupert Cornwell

[Andy from Beaverton]

Bin Laden 'spotted in Afghan mountains'

By Andrew Buncombe in Kuwait City and Rupert Cornwell in Washington

10 March 2003

Al-Qa'ida's leader, Osama bin Laden, was seen in southern Afghanistan days before US forces launched an operation to find him and members of his network, a former Taliban diplomat claimed yesterday.

Amid continuing confusion over reports that two of Bin Laden's sons had been caught after a shootout with Pakistani forces last week, the former Taliban official said the boys' father had been in the same region. Naseer Ahmed Roohi said he had information from "reliable sources" that Bin Laden had been present in the mountains straddling the south-western Afghan provinces of Nimruz and Helmand and Pakistan's Baluchistan region.

"But Bin Laden, along with a few companions, shifted to an unknown area, just days before the US-led operation in the area," Mr Roohi said.

Last week, the interior minister of Baluchistan, Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, said he had been told that two of Bin Laden's sons had been hurt and possibly arrested in an operation on Thursday by US and Afghan troops in Nimruz province close to where the Afghan border meets those of Pakistan and Iran.

While the White House and Pakistan's government said they could not substantiate thereport, US forces in Afghanistan said they had detained seven men in Helmand province on Saturday. The unidentified men were accused of plotting attacks on coalition forces. Mr Roohi said he had unconfirmed reports "a close relative" of Bin Laden was among those held.

President Bush's administration has been warned by the CIA that if war is declared US troops in the Gulf and in Iraq itself face attacks by groups linked to al-Qa'ida. The CIA report is understood to be accompanied by documents detailing the presence of a cell of up to 24 al-Qa'ida operatives based in Baghdad.

[Aracelis]

Cripes, this is beginning to sound like, "Where's Waldo".

[Bobby777]

"a former Taliban diplomat said"

oh, yeah, this guy wouldn't lie to protect his old boss now, would he? ... surely he wouldn't try to misdirect U.S. Forces ... nahh ... [/sarcasm]

[thegreatbeast]

Until someone shows me this monkey's head on a pike or him in a cage, I will stick with my contention that UBL "swims with the fishes". He was vaporized a year ago last December in a cave in the mountains. His army, while still dangerous individually, is leaderless, and they can't do squat as an army. It might take us decades to do it but we will mop up al Qaeda over time. They may yet have their innings but we have already beaten the mindless scum. Pray that you live to see them all chased through to the portal to Hell.

[Cindy]

Which part of Has Bin Laden was spotted?

[noutopia]

I can swear I saw him with Elvis at WalMart last nite.

[capitan_refugio]

Anyone who knows Elvis, knows he hangs out at the Burger King.

[chasio649]

hahaha...good one ;)

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

a former Taliban diplomat

A Taliban diplomat? Now there's a contradiction in terms if I've ever heard one.

[WSGilcrest]

Actually, Bin Laden shops at Walgreens.

[WSGilcrest]

see#10

[A CA Guy]

Saddam has had a sex change and works at a strip club in Iran last I heard. He calls himself Hillary and claims to be a lesbian!

[kcvl]

The big Pakistan bust

---

Posted: March 10, 2003

For more than a week, Americans have been trying to figure out how important is the arrest of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, known as the chief operating officer of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network.

I'll tell you how big it is: There should be a ticker-tape parade down the streets of Manhattan.

This John Belushi look-alike claims to be responsible for planning the Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S. In other words, he proudly takes credit for murdering 3,000 Americans.

There are perhaps only two al-Qaida operatives we would want more than Mohammed – Ayman al-Zawahiri and bin Laden himself. That's how big Mohammed is. He's key. Americans should all be very happy that he is in custody. May he squeal like the trapped rat he is and lead us to the other rodents we seek.


SNIP


There is also reason to believe Mohammed was intimately involved in yet another act of terrorism against the U.S. – the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City in 1995, as WorldNetDaily first reported last year.

Will the feds go there? Will they probe into that closed case any further? Or will they be embarrassed that they pinned the whole operation on two local yokels – or, as the previous administration characterized them, "right-wing militia-types."

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=31429

Joseph Farah's nationally syndicated column originates at WorldNetDaily

[kcvl]

3/10/2003 12:50 AM

New clues in bin Laden hunt lead to dead ends
By Jack Kelley, USA TODAY

Near KHARAN, Pakistan — The hunt for the world's most elusive terrorist has intensified dramatically in the past week but so far has been a frustrating mission that has led hither and yon.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2003-03-09-bin-laden-hunt-usat_x.htm

[kcvl]

Taliban: Bin Laden Was in Region Before U.S. Attack
By Saeed Ali Achakzai (AFGANISTAN)


A former Taliban diplomat said on Sunday Osama bin Laden, the world's most wanted man, was in the southern Afghan province of Nimroz just days before U.S. forces launched a new operation to arrest him.

Naseer Ahmed Roohi, a former diplomat in Afghanistan's fallen hard-line government, said he had information from "reliable sources" that bin Laden had been in the Siakoh mountain range, straddling the southwestern Afghan provinces of Nimroz, Helmand and Pakistan's Baluchistan province.

"Bin Laden, along with a few companions, shifted to an unknown area, just days before the U.S.-led operation in the area," Roohi told Reuters by satellite telephone from an undisclosed location.

Roohi's statements came as the home minister of a Pakistani province accused some of the media of misquoting his remarks about unsubstantiated reports of the arrests of two of bin Laden's sons in Afghanistan.


http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1045511458687

[kcvl]

Search for bin Laden narrows, but he's a survivor, officials say

03/09/03

Paul Haven
Associated Press


Islamabad, Pakistan- The walls may be closing in on Osama bin Laden after the capture of one of his most trusted lieutenants, but the world's most wanted man has survived a lifetime of close calls.

Will this time be any different?


http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1047214682213910.xml

[kcvl]

BRIAN DICKERSON: U.S. bumbles blindly into a shady war

March 10, 2003

BY BRIAN DICKERSON
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

The most powerful nation on Earth is about to go to war, and most of its citizens still have no idea why.

That is a stunning indictment of our current president's ineptitude, his predecessor's weakness, and our own impatience with complex foreign policy challenges.

http://www.freep.com/news/metro/dicker10_20030310.htm

[capitan_refugio]

Funny! Well, if UBL has a Suburban, he's riding in style.

[ex-Texan]

He is being tipped off by the Pakis. I suspect it is a high level person with high level access. Very simple, but very hard to endure for long. The U.S. will catch OBL and the Pakis who are responsible.