[Travis McGee]

I think that Osama's image is all important to him, and the damage done to his cause would be too great if he was captured in western attire and clean shaved. He has to make a clean getaway to his slum full of worshippers, or die in a blaze of glory. A capture under humiliating conditions would destroy his mystique and his movement.

[Travis McGee]

I'm back, where's Osama?

[Dukie]

I can see your point regarding the importance of OBL's preserving his image. As such, whatever happens, it must be Allah's will. However, I saw on the thread about Flt 93, among the final night instructions from Atta to the gang was to "shave off excess body hair". Could be that Atta was just a particularly obnoxious fruitcake like the leader of the "Heaven's Gate" bunch or do the Islamists perceive that desperate times call for desperate measures, including shaving.