Posted on 02/17/2002 9:08:45 PM PST by ex-Texan
Bin Laden's No 2 'captured in Iran'
Rory McCarthy in Islamabad and Luke Harding in Kabul
Osama bin Laden's most senior lieutenant, the Egyptian militant Ayman al-Zawahiri, has been captured and jailed in Tehran, a leading Iranian newspaper reported yesterday. Zawahiri, the founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, was arrested several days ago and has been imprisoned in the city's Evin jail, where political prisoners are usually held, the Hayat-e-Nou newspaper said.
If the report is correct, the arrest is the most serious strike at the heart of Bin Laden's al-Qaida network since the World Trade Centre attacks, and a diplomatic coup for Tehran.
The FBI has Zawahiri on its most-wanted list in connection with the August 1998 bombings of two US embassies in east Africa in which 224 people were killed. It has offered a $25m reward for information leading to his capture.
The Farsi-language paper gave few details yesterday about the arrest and no indication of the source of its information. The paper is regarded as reliable and is run by Hadi Khamenei, a leading legislator and the brother of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
But Iran's foreign ministry said last night. "The news that has been published in the Hayat-e-Nou newspaper is not true. We deny it," Hamid Reza Asefi, a foreign ministry spokesman, said.
In Kabul the interim government said many al-Qaida and Taliban fighters had crossed into Iran but it had no information on Zawahiri. "We are not aware that a person of al-Zawahiri's stature has been arrested," foreign ministry spokesman Omar Samad said.
Zawahiri, 50, who wears thick spectacles and a long, dark beard, is regarded as Bin Laden's closest ally. He has been living with him in Afghanistan for several years and often served as his personal doctor. In an interview in June last year, Bin Laden said he had merged Zawahiri's Islamic Jihad with al-Qaida.
In December, Afghan commanders involved in the attacks on Tora Bora in eastern Afghanistan said they believed Zawahiri had recently been at the camp. His wife and three daughters were later reported to have died in a US bombing raid, although it was thought Zawahiri was not with them at the time.
Washington has criticised Tehran for allowing al-Qaida and Taliban fighters to slip across its border and Iran was named by George Bush as one of three "axis of evil" countries.
Email luke.harding@mantraonline.com
GOOD ANSWER!
Contrary to your pacifist dogma, sometimes a little saber rattling is called for.
Dead, I have a lot of respect for you, so don't be a ding-dong. I am about as pacifist as a friggin' Pit Bull. But unlike most of you jerking off about Iran and Iraq etc, I believe we should actually focus on getting and punishing those who have attacked us. I think this is the patriotic and wise thing to do. Anything else would show the world that they can get away with attacking us. As for these other nations, guess what: they haven't attacked us. So how do you justify your position?
I suggest we give thim 48 hour to produce Mr. Zwhahiri (whatever) or Bush will intstruct our aircraft carriers to hold an anti-Iranian rally in the Gulf. If they comply they get $25mil in cash - if not, the get a minimum of $25mil in laser guided munitions down the throat.
I suggest we give thim 48 hour to produce Mr. Zwhahiri (whatever) or Bush will intstruct our aircraft carriers to hold an anti-Iranian rally in the Gulf. If they comply they get $25mil in cash - if not, the get a minimum of $25mil in laser guided munitions down the throat.
I suggest we give thim 48 hour to produce Mr. Zwhahiri (whatever) or Bush will intstruct our aircraft carriers to hold an anti-Iranian rally in the Gulf. If they comply they get $25mil in cash - if not, the get a minimum of $25mil in laser guided munitions down the throat.
I suggest we give thim 48 hour to produce Mr. Zwhahiri (whatever) or Bush will intstruct our aircraft carriers to hold an anti-Iranian rally in the Gulf. If they comply they get $25mil in cash - if not, the get a minimum of $25mil in laser guided munitions down the throat.
Dead, I have a lot of respect for you, so don't be a ding-dong. I am about as pacifist as a friggin' Pit Bull.
And I’m about as “simplistic” as a A-B-C, Do-Re-Me, 1-2-3! (You started with the insults. But that’s neither here nor there...)
There is no question that there are elements in Iran that support terrorism. Unfortunately, these are the elements in power at this time. Our labeling of these elements as “evil” (we have not threatened them directly) is intended to destablize their power.
You do not think this is a good idea. I do.
What other nations are you suggesting we attack? Who are these nations that have attacked us? If I recall, the Iranian fundamentalist regime imprisoned our embassy staff for over a year. Iraq has been at various levels of war with us for over a decade, and even attempted to asassinate the original President Bush. Those regimes are still in power.
Even if there is no direct connection to the actual events of 9/11, Iran and Iraq’s emnity for the US is well-documented. Their support for terrorism in general is not in question either. Our current actions and posturing is intended to try to initiate regime changes in these nations, just as their support for terrorism is intended to initiate regime changes in ours.
I hope we are successful and they are not.
Hmm....bin laden must have alot of #2's. It seems they capture or kill #2 every couple of weeks.
The position apparently has a high turnover rate.
Evidently his services as doctor to OBL are no longer needed.
Even if there is no direct connection to the actual events of 9/11, Iran and Iraq’s emnity for the US is well-documented.
So this is what it all boils down to in your mind: we have a duty to bomb any nation that does not love us. This is more militaristically totalitarian than the Nazis or the Soviets in their prime. And this will convince the however many BILLION people who also inhabit the world to love us exactly how? Because if they don't we will kill them? What kind of twisted logic is this?
What kind of twisted logic is this?
The kind of twisted logic that one could arrive at by selective editing of other’s quotes, removing them completely from their context.
Here, let me play that silly game:
I am about as pacifist as a friggin' Pit Bull. I believe we should actually focus on getting more militaristically totalitarian than the Nazis or the Soviets in their prime. I think this is the patriotic and wise thing to do. Anything else would show the world that they can get away with attacking us.
82 posted on 2/18/02 11:13 AM by Zviadist
It is not that they dislike us, it is that they sponsor terrorism that kills our citizens. If you can't address that point, I guess you can always knockdown strawmen of your own construction.
It is not that they dislike us, it is that they sponsor terrorism that kills our citizens.
Sorry, friend. No evidence whatsoever that Iran or Iraq "sponsor terrorism that kills our citizens." That would be the Saudis and Egyptians and that buttboy Osama. Let's speak of fact rather than from emotion or speculation.
LOL...what bombing are you talking about, besides Taliban and AlQueda strongholds? Had it not been for the mighty United States you might be goosestepping your way through the world, or worst yet linger in some concentartion camp or gulag.
This Forum has a tendency to "waste" irrational and disruptive post(er)s like you(rs).
Long live Military Muscle.
"All those countries which supported terrorism, especially the United States, will be hurt by terrorism. We have said that the fire will spread to you too. They did not believe us. The process has begun...."
- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah 'Ali Khamene'i in a speech to Iranian TV and radio journalists
Iran provides Hezbollah with an estimated $60 to $100 million dollars annually, in addition to logistical and intelligence support. The 19 bodies pulled from the rubble of the Khobar towers, blown up by Hezbollah agents, were unquestionably American citizens.
Let's speak of fact rather than from emotion or speculation.
In order to avoid emotional outbursts, it might be wise to remember we’ve done nothing militarily to Iran. I don’t think our nasty labeling of their regime is really akin to the actions of the Nazis or the Soviets in their prime.
As long it is not the cigar Billy the Boy used on Monica.
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