Posted on 11/12/2001 11:28:59 PM PST by Don Joe
Tuesday November 13, 1:43 PM
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Pakistani journalist who interviewed Osama bin Laden last week said on Monday the Saudi-born dissident had told him nuclear arms could be bought on the central Asian black market for $10 million to $20 million.
Hamid Mir, editor of the Urdu-language Ausaf newspaper, told CNN's "Larry King Live" that he had pressed bin Laden and his aide, Ayman Zawahri, on the issue after they said they would retaliate in kind for any U.S. use of nuclear warheads.
"He said that if the United States of America is going to use these kinds of weapons against us, then we reserve the right to respond back the same way," said Mir, who said he had conducted the interview somewhere in Afghanistan after being taken blindfolded to a secret location.
"He used the word 'nuclear deterrent' and he said 'we will not use these weapons first but we will retaliate'. After that I tried my best to get more information on from where you get these kinds of weapons, but he was not willing to speak more on this issue," Mir said.
"But when my interview was finished and we were just having tea, I engaged him again on this issue and I was trying to get information from where you got these kind of weapons.
"They gave me some indication that you can if you have $10 million, $20 million, you can get these kinds of weapons from the underworld mafia of the central Asian states and some disgruntled Russian scientists."
Mir's comments elaborated on accounts of his interview published in Pakistan on Saturday, when bin Laden's reference to nuclear retaliation was first reported.
Senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, said on Sunday it was unlikely that bin Laden or his al Qaeda network had access to nuclear arms.
The United States is leading a military campaign to destroy al Qaeda and its Taliban protectors, accusing bin Laden's group of being behind the September 11 attacks on America in which about 4,500 people were killed.
Just now on CNN...Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir talked about his interview with Osama bin Laden...
He asked OBL repeatedly how they could aquire nukes... OBL finally told him that for $10-$20m, there are several [black market] sources from russian mafia... also said that over 70 nukes have been stollen over time by various groups from russia.
ALSO, he sd that OBL told him the real war is about to begin... just waiting on the Americans to arrive in numbers in Afganistan...
ALSO, sd that he feels that what is going on now is a trap being set for the Americans.
He might not be bluffing.
His "strategic retreat" has all the earmarks of a setup. It's like all the pieces of the taliban are -- on cue -- saying "OK, OK, we scared! We scared! We go, we go!"
The ragtag Northern Alliance "forces" are eating it right up. They think they're driving out the taliban, and they're feeling pretty cocky about it.
Well, I'm just cynical enough to not buy it. I think something stinks, and it's consistent with OBL having something to sock it to whoever comes riding in to relish the "victory".
Something just doesn't ring true about this "rout" of the taliban. It's just too staged, too convenient, too neat and clean, too coordinated -- and too much of a coincidence when you factor in OBLs statements that Reuters didn't choose to carry.
Yeah, sure. I'll bet there are a whole bunch of shady guys running around the Middle East trying to sell suitcases containing a pipe, some wires, and an impressive looking LCD blinking away like a neon sign, "Psssst! Hey, buddy. Look what I got. Ten million bucks just for you!"
One on every corner.
The fact that the ex-soviet nuclear inventory has been in a state of disarray has been extensively documented. The fact that ex-soviet engineers have "gone to the dark side" has likewise been documented. The fact that several mules have been intercepted trying to smuggle weapons grade uranium has also been documented. And the "war on drugs" has given us a handy statistical base from which we can easily extrapolate that for every mule intercepted, several others are not intercepted.
It may make you feel better to dismiss this as a joke, but unfortunately, if OBL does in fact have the weapons (that various reliable sources have believed he may very well possess), no amount of ridicule will be of any benefit.
But, maybe you're right. Maybe they repealed the "if your assault is going too well, it's an ambush" law while I was napping. Maybe the taliban executed such a well coordinated retreat because they're trying to impress the Moscow Ballet. Maybe monkeys are flying...
If it's that easy, it's not a Rolex.
And others. This I can believe. I think that's what we're seeing now.
When did everybody on this site get SOOOOO stupid? I think it was after Rush posted that picture of the typical freeper for laughs. It drew in the goofballs from all over.
NBC/ABC Warfare Survival Skills Links
Tiny Nukes-- the backpack threat
The Poor-Boy Nuke-- Bioterrorism***
The Samson Option-- what is known about Israel's Nuclear Weapons?
-Index of Chemical Warfare/weapons articles--
-Index of Bioterrorism articles--
Only an idiot who did not understand market forces would believe this. Given the number of folks/countries around the world who desperately want a nuke and could pay up to a few billion to have a couple, what do you think the going market price for the world's few putative loose nukes would be.
Second problem - if you actually had a nuke and were trying to sell and deliver, you would probably be the most scared SOB on the face of the earth. You would simultaneously have every intelligence agency and half the world's crime syndicates, arms dealers, and soldiers of fortune looking for you. Who do you tell you have one for sale. Given the number of people who would have to be involved and the near certainty, sooner or later of facing death, the delivery charges would be very very high.
I would believe that $10-20 M could buy you a radiation weapon that would kill off its potential users long before they could ever get it to its intended target.
So the question is: Have you heard of a small nuke going off anywhere yet?
He doesn't want to get it home and discover it's a box full of rocks. It happens.
He's got lots of rocks already, and is due for some more. And those guys are damned hard to find when you're after a refund.
OTOH, I can believe there are a zillion con men out there saying they can get one for you. If you're a con man and you can find just one fool, you're rich for life. It's worth a shot.
IMHO, the whole thing is beginning to take on the aura of an urban legend.
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