'High-Value Target' Surrounded in Pakistan - Thread 2 - new information

Fox News ^ | Thursday, March 18, 2004 | staff

[Anti-Bubba182]

Pakistani officials said Thursday they have a "high-value target" in the war on terror surrounded near the Afghan border and sources reported that an air strike was being launched to flush out the resistance.

Intelligence officials suggest it may be Ayman al-Zawahri (search)

[lonevoice]

Oh, please, let it be true...

[endowedbycreator]

One year anniversary of the war...

Though capturing Zawahiri would make for a nice anniversary present.

[lonevoice]

Just heard on ABC news radio, top of the hour, that Pakistani officials are saying the "militants" have 2 hours to surrender or face a full assault.

[estjohn]

NUCE!!!! Tighten the NUCE!!!

[JLS]

I sure hope this deadline junk does not allow them a chance to slip out, while the Army is awaiting the deadline to pass?

[MEG33]

Seems these truces allow for great escapes.

[JosephW]

tighten the noose

[lonevoice]

It's very puzzling. The hard core jihadists they've got surrounded here are certainly not known to be type that would surrender. The fighting's already been going on for a few days. What would make them surrender now?

[MEG33]

I read that is their practice when it happened in Afghanistan.How else can one explain it!

[dglang]

that sounds both series and hugh.

[lonevoice]

When they gave them the opportunity to surrender in Afghanistan, these same jihadists beat feet to the villages on the Pakistani border. It's weird that they'd give them that same chance again.

[MEG33]

John Huang just posted the time had expired and the fight has resumed.

[lonevoice]

Thanks. I can't find it. Do you have a link?

Since this is the thread in the breaking news sidebar as the Pakistan Thread 2, it might be helpful if we could keep new information here where people will be looking for it.

[MEG33]

I'll ping you.

[lonevoice]

Thanks!

[MEG33]

I did a John Huang2 "poster" search and find he's posted several interesting related topics...I'd link if I did that..

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WANA, Pakistan (AFX) - Several thousand Pakistani troops backed by helicopter gunships today fought fierce clashes with heavily armed gunmen believed to have been protecting a top Al-Qaeda leader close to the Afghan border.

Officials said Al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri may have narrowly escaped the South Waziristan tribal village during heavy clashes three days ago which left at least 15 soldiers and 24 militants dead.
[snip]
But a senior security official said today that he could have escaped on Tuesday, and a Taliban spokesman claimed both Zawahiri and bin Laden were safe in Afghanistan.

"He may have slipped the net," the official, asking not to be named, told AFP.
[snip]

[Oldeconomybuyer]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN Europe) -- Heavy fighting continues in a mountainous region near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border where a "high-value" al Qaeda leader is believed to be holed up.

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told CNN that he suspects the fighters are protecting al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Pakistani forces have surrounded the estimated 200 al Qaeda fighters, and are asking them to "surrender immediately," Ahmend said.

"We have no choice as to give them a final time that if they are not going to surrender, we may take some serious action against them."

Ahmed was wary of providing more details, noting that al Qaeda is monitoring television and newspaper reports, and said he would be ready to give more information in 48 hours.

"They like to fight and they like to die there, so the only thing I can say is, we have to wait and see (if there is) more (in) 48 hours," he said.
[snip]

[MEG33]

Thank you for the post.

[not-alone]

Powell on live from Bagdad. Be rake over coals by Arab media.