Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bin Laden Reportedly Back at Helm of al Qaeda
Reuters via Yahoo ^ | Aug 27,10:12 AM ET | Michael Georgy

Posted on 08/27/2002 8:16:53 AM PDT by B-bone

Bin Laden Reportedly Back at Helm of al Qaeda Tue Aug 27,10:12 AM ET

By Michael Georgy

LONDON (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden ( news - web sites) is firmly back in command of al Qaeda and the group is digging in for guerrilla attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan ( news - web sites), an Arab journalist with close ties to the militant's associates said on Tuesday.

Abdel-Bari Atwan, editor of the London-based daily al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper, said al Qaeda associates recently told him the network had regained confidence after facing intense U.S. bombing and was ready to fight U.S. troops over the long haul.

"Al Qaeda were shattered during the U.S. bombing so it was difficult for bin Laden to stay in control. Now they said he is fully in command again and they have regrouped and are organized again," Atwan told Reuters.

"Al Qaeda people say they are relaxed now and they will fight a war of attrition against U.S. soldiers," added Atwan, who interviewed bin Laden in 1996 and keeps in contact with his associates and followers.

Bin Laden was in good health and "safe" and was planning new attacks on the United States, he was told, but his whereabouts were not disclosed.

The United States launched strikes on Afghanistan last year to flush out al Qaeda and hunt down bin Laden, its prime suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, and punish the Taliban regime that protected him.

But remnants of al Qaeda and their Taliban allies have continually frustrated the U.S.-led coalition by hiding in mountains, melting into the local population or fleeing into neighboring Pakistan or Iran.

Atwan said that the al Qaeda and Taliban had re-established links that were severed when the United States began its military campaign in Afghanistan.

"They are working together again. They are organizing," he said.

There is no trail, meanwhile, leading to bin Laden.

Bin Laden's associates told Atwan that the Saudi-born militant was well, "safe" and planning new attacks on the United States. They did not say where bin Laden was currently living.

"My sense is that he will time any new attack to coincide with a U.S. attack on Iraq. He would want to capitalize on this to appeal to the Arab street so he will probably delay any attacks until the United States moves on Iraq," said Atwan.

"He will probably want to be seen as the only Arab standing up to the United States when the United States attacks Iraq."

Bin Laden made a series of defiant videotapes broadcast on television as U.S. warplanes pounded Afghanistan. But he has recently stayed out of sight.

His associates said Bin Laden, who has a $25 million U.S. bounty on his head, was well protected but his entourage was small in order to avoid capture, said Atwan.

"He is the master of disguise and he is making sure that he is not giving anything away so he travels in a small group," he said.

Bin Laden's top aide Ayman al-Zawahri, the Egyptian-born chief strategist of al Qaeda, was with him along with a small group of militant bodyguards, Atwan was told.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-123 next last
To: B-bone
The fact of the matter is that the US Military blew it! They had him cornered in Tora Bora and trusted the wrong guys to seal the border. If there is a next time it should only be a US operation and nobody that isn't in our absolute control gets to watch the door.
41 posted on 08/27/2002 8:45:48 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ASA Vet
That's the guy!
42 posted on 08/27/2002 8:46:09 AM PDT by Schnucki
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: ecomcon
You should see his "compost" disguise.

That's a good one.

43 posted on 08/27/2002 8:48:05 AM PDT by for-q-clinton
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: freeperfromnj
"seems like the strategy is to play the fear card so that Americans will waver in their support of a preemptive attack against Iraq"

That's exactly what it seems like. As if Bid Laden (if alive) would hesitate to attack the U.S regardless of whether we go into Iraq.
44 posted on 08/27/2002 8:50:53 AM PDT by Steve_Seattle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: B-bone
Osama is alive and well only in between the screams and the fevered dreams and memories of the 9/11 terrorists baking in hell.
45 posted on 08/27/2002 8:51:24 AM PDT by yendu bwam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Poohbah
I guess this means that those private-sector efforts are probably still in force. I don't think DOJ will be paying those West Coast execs behind them a visit any time soon, though.

I guess this also shows why government has a hard time recruiting. The private-sector payout for nailing Osama is forty times the payout from the government.
46 posted on 08/27/2002 8:51:50 AM PDT by hchutch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Severa
"You said it! My mom left on Sept 8th for a 14 day tour of London, Paris and Rome (yes she got home safely on time). The one thing she noted about London was the huge number of Muslims she saw."

I read yesterday that there are 5.5 million Muslims in England. (Quite a large occupying army huh?) I think that's more than we have.

47 posted on 08/27/2002 8:51:53 AM PDT by blam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: blam
Bin Laden is dead, but his body is still intact, even the maggots wont eat him.
48 posted on 08/27/2002 8:56:22 AM PDT by Delbert
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: B-bone
Remember that report that bin Laden's 21-year-old son had been placed in charge of Al Qaeda? Some speculate that's an indication that the old man is alive and picking his own successor.
49 posted on 08/27/2002 8:57:09 AM PDT by GVnana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: B-bone
http://pub3.bravenet.com/photocenter/view.php?img=19012&usernum=200002330
50 posted on 08/27/2002 8:58:13 AM PDT by jwalburg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam
Two thoughts come to mind.

Number one, the FBI cannot capture Eric Rudolph, in North Carolina. The odds of capturing Bin Laden, anywhere, thus become diminished in my mind.

Second, Osama is the guy the USA trained and financed to successfully fend off the Soviet Union. He and his group are pretty much badasses, whether we like to think it, or not.

51 posted on 08/27/2002 9:02:12 AM PDT by mikhailovich
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: B-bone
I'd trust an Arab journalist about as much as one from the NYT.
52 posted on 08/27/2002 9:04:06 AM PDT by rintense
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: B-bone
I'm still waiting for a picture of Osama holding today's newspaper.

I figure that enough may be left of Osama to fit into the mayonnaise jar on top of today's newspaper as it sits on Funk & Wagnall's porch...

53 posted on 08/27/2002 9:05:52 AM PDT by mhking
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steve_Seattle
That's exactly what it seems like. As if Bid Laden (if alive) would hesitate to attack the U.S regardless of whether we go into Iraq.

I can see it now. A new poll or question of the day: "Do you still support a preemptive strike on Iraq if it means they'll attack us again if we do?"

54 posted on 08/27/2002 9:06:14 AM PDT by freeperfromnj
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: kellynla; B-bone
Or wrapped like a mobsterfish in yesterday's newspaper.
55 posted on 08/27/2002 9:12:56 AM PDT by lds23
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: B-bone
How can a dead guy be in control of anything?
56 posted on 08/27/2002 9:13:06 AM PDT by My2Cents
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Delbert
Bin Laden is dead, but his body is still intact, even the maggots wont eat him.

It's been reported that Al Quaida has managed to graft Bin Laden's brain and stomach onto a suitable host, as shown in this recent Al Jazeera photo:

57 posted on 08/27/2002 9:13:40 AM PDT by COBOL2Java
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: B-bone
"He is the master of disguise and he is making sure that he is not giving anything away so he travels in a small group," he said.

Osama is running for governor of the state of Florida on the Democrat ticket?

58 posted on 08/27/2002 9:17:14 AM PDT by Faraday
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: B-bone
Master of disguise? Oh please...

Bin Laden escapes impersonating Salman Rushdie!
59 posted on 08/27/2002 9:26:12 AM PDT by Carry_Okie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Faraday
Osama is dead! News of his alive have been greatly exaggerated.
60 posted on 08/27/2002 9:28:12 AM PDT by baltoga
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 58 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-123 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson