Skip to comments.
Bin Laden sons 'shot, captured' (Believed US is incensed official may have spoken too soon)
The Daily Telegraph ^
| March 8, 2003
Posted on 03/08/2003 7:44:24 AM PST by Indy Pendance
THE United States has refused to deny reports that two of Osama bin Laden's sons including his heir apparent to the al-Qaida terror network have been captured in a gun battle with US troops.
The reports, confirmed on television by a Pakistani Government official, have intensified speculation that the US is closing in on the fugitive terrorist warlord, the world's most wanted man since the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.
The official said bin Laden's sons were shot in a fierce gunfight between al-Qaida fighters and US troops in Ribat, an area of Afghanistan near the borders with Iran and Pakistan.
It is believed Washington is incensed that the official may have spoken too early, with US special forces tracking bin Laden in tribal lands between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Responding to the claim, White House spokesman Ari Fleisher said: "We have no information to substantiate that report." However, he would not deny it.
The US and Pakistan have been dropping leaflets offering lucrative rewards for bin Laden and his supporters, as part of increased military action in the region since the capture last weekend of al-Qaida operations chief Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who had been in recent contact with his boss
The sons anointed successor Saad, 23, the oldest of bin Laden's 20 children, and youngest son Hamza, a teenager are said to have been shot during the battle in which nine al-Qaida fighters died.
The report came from Sanaullah Zehri, Home Minister of Pakistan's Baluchistan province and the region's top security official.
"We have information that two sons of Osama bin Laden were injured. The people killed belonged to al-Qaida," Mr Zehri said.
Saad has emerged as one of the US's top targets. His arrest would come as a major blow to bin Laden.
Sources say that of all his children, bin Laden is closest to Hamza.
TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: oblsons
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-60 next last
To: Indy Pendance
that's it.....I'm in, this is the forth source I know of.....
2
posted on
03/08/2003 7:46:18 AM PST
by
The Wizard
(Demonrats are enemies of America)
To: Indy Pendance
Talk about semantics and rumor mongering (the newspaper, not you).
All Fleischer said was, in effect, we don't have enough info to confirm OR deny.
And suddenly that's even a TACIT admission?
To: Indy Pendance
Well maybe Bin Laden is getting a little payback for all the horror he unleased on innocent people.
4
posted on
03/08/2003 7:48:21 AM PST
by
ClancyJ
To: Indy Pendance
I'll wait for pictures but my triple posting exitement of yesterday has abated.
5
posted on
03/08/2003 7:48:51 AM PST
by
MEG33
To: Indy Pendance
Bin Wounded and Bin Captured.
6
posted on
03/08/2003 7:49:41 AM PST
by
martin_fierro
(SOUTH American Idol)
To: martin_fierro
Bin Effed
7
posted on
03/08/2003 7:52:49 AM PST
by
appeal2
To: Behind Liberal Lines
Information is instantaneous. What's to wait for?
All Fleischer said was, in effect, we don't have enough info to confirm OR deny.
8
posted on
03/08/2003 7:56:15 AM PST
by
GOPJ
To: Indy Pendance
I just think it's interesting that this rumor won't die.
To: martin_fierro
I'm waiting with baited breath for Bin Strung Up.
To: Indy Pendance
Okay. I've been developing a theory ever since the press conference on Thursday. The day before, Drudge had the banner "Bush makes the call." It was a very nothing story, but I had the feeling that there really WAS something behind it.
Then the talk of bin Laden's kids started. It ran like wild fire all over the world. Except that the US categorically denied it.
Then came the press conference. A very subdued Bush told us a lot that we already knew. I had the feeling that he actually wanted to "announce" something important, but held back.
Perhaps he wanted to announce the capture of bin Laden or his sons, but the news that had leaked out had perhaps compromised the capture. Or something like that.
He just seemed to have something on his mind that he WASN'T telling us.
JMHO
11
posted on
03/08/2003 7:59:02 AM PST
by
EggsAckley
(nuke the vegan tree-hugging gay whale terrorist ACTORS for jesus)
To: Vigilanteman
Bin Offed.
12
posted on
03/08/2003 8:00:21 AM PST
by
Cicero
(Marcus Tullius)
To: Vigilanteman
Bin Laid Down
13
posted on
03/08/2003 8:05:08 AM PST
by
boknows
To: Cicero
Bin Wacked
14
posted on
03/08/2003 8:05:28 AM PST
by
ARCADIA
(Abuse of power comes as no surprise)
To: GOPJ
Information is instantaneous. What's to wait for?For example, confirmation that the terrorist is, in fact, bin Laden's son and not a look alike or a case of mistaken identity.
To: ARCADIA
Bin Looking for 72 Virgins
16
posted on
03/08/2003 8:09:07 AM PST
by
Humbug
To: ARCADIA
may I offer a new alternative to: bin F***ed, like we use clymer:
bin Villepined
17
posted on
03/08/2003 8:10:12 AM PST
by
The Wizard
(Demonrats are enemies of America)
To: Behind Liberal Lines
For father's day they gave daddy a portable bottle of smallpox. When they said, "Daddy is the bomb" they weren't kidding. Bin Laden appeared at a comedy club one day. He began his show: "Take my anthrax...please."
18
posted on
03/08/2003 8:11:40 AM PST
by
jraven
To: Vigilanteman
"I'm waiting with baited breath for Bin Strung Up."
or how about "I'd like you to meet your cell mate Bin Bubba". BB or "Daddy" as he likes to be called would like you to slip into this burka and back into your cell. Daddy's lonely tonight.
Don't string him up! Let's build a personal Hell on Earth for him. Disney Land? Pay to go see him caned daily, etc.
19
posted on
03/08/2003 8:12:07 AM PST
by
schaketo
To: EggsAckley
I agree, GWB didn't call a conference to make the comments he wound up making.
My guess is that when they got there - Osama was in the other caravan, having used his dear kiddies as decoy.
My other guess is that he is flat out panicked at the thought that his lieutenants are being made to talk almost as soon as they get rolled up. That might just be stage management on our part (because I also think we've known for awhile where he was) but something has the boy moving.
Unless, of course, he's dead and the kids were running the show in his name.
20
posted on
03/08/2003 8:12:18 AM PST
by
norton
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-60 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.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson