US negates reports on Osama's capture

Incredable!
Between the media, politics, and public awareness, someone is getting played....check this, the denials continue.....:

"US, Pakistan Deny They're Closing in on Osama"
www.reuters.com...

Excerpt:

"KABUL/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden's whereabouts remain a mystery to U.S. and Pakistani forces as they crank up efforts to flush out al Qaeda and Taliban rebels hiding near Afghanistan's eastern frontier, officials said on Monday.

U.S. military officials in Kabul have boldly predicted his capture in 2004, and Britain's Sunday Express weekly reported that the world's most wanted man was "boxed in" by U.S. and British special forces in the rugged Pakistani mountains along the Afghan border.

The newspaper said bin Laden was within a 10 mile by 10 mile area, being monitored by a U.S. spy satellite.

"As far as the reports of Osama bin Laden's location, I don't take much credence in them because if we knew where he was in Afghanistan, we would go get him and if the Pakistanis knew where he was in Pakistan they would go get him," U.S. military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Bryan Hilferty said.

"We continue to have rumors over the past two years," he told a news briefing in Kabul, when asked about speculation that bin Laden had been spotted.

Pakistani officials dismissed the report that located bin Laden in mountains north of the Pakistani city of Quetta.

"That area is in Pakistan but there is nothing there, life is absolutely normal -- you can go and see," said Pakistani military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan. "There is no operation being conducted there and there are no foreign troops there."

NOT ABOUT INDIVIDUALS

Hilferty distanced himself from recent remarks he made that he was "sure" bin Laden and Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar would be caught this year, reverting to past U.S. statements that the "war on terror" was not only about catching individuals.

"Obviously the global war on terrorism is about much more than a person or two people, it is about terrorism against people in general," he said.

He also indicated that a planned spring offensive against Islamic militants was little different from previous operations carried out by the 10,600-strong American-led force in Afghanistan.

Most operations have failed to net large numbers of al Qaeda and Taliban fighters or top leaders, prompting U.S. officers in Afghanistan to announce a shift in tactics to civilian-military teams deploying in lawless regions to oversee reconstruction. In Pakistan, Sultan described an operation in the semi-autonomous South Waziristan agency, where al Qaeda fighters are thought to be hiding with the support of sympathetic locals, as "absolutely normal."

Pakistani troops working alongside tribal forces plan to carry out searches where they suspect al Qaeda guerrillas may be hiding, after tribesmen were urged by the authorities to give up militants they may be sheltering.

"This cordon and search operation will specifically be against foreigners whenever we get any information that X,Y,Z is in that house," said South Waziristan's top government official, Mohammad Azam Khan.

"The tribal maliks (chiefs) would be present and the whole operation would be conducted according to the rules and traditions of the tribal area," he told the private Geo channel.

Political authorities which deal with the fiercely independent and well-armed tribesmen have asked tribal leaders to surrender more than 80 clan members wanted for harboring or assisting al Qaeda militants.

So far more than 40 tribesmen have been handed over by local leaders, but authorities say they have lost patience with tribal elders after several key suspects escaped.

U.S. and Afghan forces have often complained that militants evading capture in Afghanistan have been able to flee into Pakistan and hide. They also say that a bloody insurgency linked to the Taliban has been launched from Pakistani territory."


*shakes head*


regards
seekerof

[Edited on 23-2-2004 by Seekerof]

My vote is with his not being captured. It's way too far away from November.

What would be the point??

Just ran across this:

"Bin Laden 'On The Run,' US Official Says"
www.voanews.com...

Excerpt:

"A top U.S. anti-terrorism official says al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is on the run, amid what officials say is an intensifying hunt for fugitive members of the terror network. The U.S. official says he believes Osama bin Laden will be captured soon.
Ambassador J. Cofer Black, coordinator for the State Department counter-terrorism office, say the United States and its allies will find Osama bin Laden."

Interestingly enough, the unit that is hunting Osama Bin Laden is the very same unit that hunted down Saddam:
Task Force 121.

"Saddam Catchers Hunt Bin Laden"
www.military.com...

"ELITE UNIT SETS SIGHTS ON OSAMA"
www.nypost.com...

"US commandos 'closing in' on bin Laden"
www.telegraph.co.uk.../news/2004/02/24/wladen24.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/02/24/ixworld.html

Information on Task Force 121:

"Task Force 121"
www.disinfopedia.org...

"Playing Chess in the Dark With Task Force 121"
www.strategypage.com...

"The Man-Hunters of Task Force 121"
rwor.org...

"Task Force 121 ( Task Force 5, Task Force 20 )"
students.engr.scu.edu...

Excerpt:

"Task Force 121 is a classic example of the United State's 'Joint Task Force' concept of conducting Special Operations. TF121 is a multiservice force commanded by an Air Force Brigadier General. The spearhead of the force is a forty-man team that is most likely made up of operators from Delta, Devgroup and the CIA's paramilitary units (many of whom are ex Delta and Devgroup anyway). Other Special Operations contributions will include Air Force Combat Controllers and Special Operations aircraft. It is also not unlikely that operators from Coalition nations (particularly the British and Australian SAS and Poland's GROM) are involved in TF121. The team operates with the support of a much larger conventional force when required."




These guys mean business; serious business.



regards
seekerof

[Edited on 28-2-2004 by Seekerof]

Seems that things are indeed heating up?
SAS has now joined in on capturing Osama:

"SAS joins fresh bid to snare bin Laden"
www.guardian.co.uk...


Also, the latest on the Iran report is:

"U.S. Hunt for Bin Laden Gathers Steam"
www.lasvegassun.com...

Excerpts:

"On Saturday, Pentagon and Pakistani officials denied an Iranian state radio report that bin Laden had been captured "a long time ago" in Pakistan's border region with Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, American commanders in Afghanistan have expressed new optimism about finding bin Laden. Late last month, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty said the military believes it could seize bin Laden this year, perhaps within months.

A U.S. defense official, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Pakistani forces have killed or captured more al-Qaida members than any other U.S. ally."


If Bin Laden "is" alive, he is in a seemingly precarious situations, indeed.



regards
seekerof

In a contrasting update, this freshly released article stipulates that Bush has asked and ordered a more intensive effort to capture Bin Laden:

"Bush orders bin Laden caught"
www.news.com.au...

Excerpt:

"GEORGE W. Bush has reportedly ordered US agencies to step up efforts to catch Osama bin Laden amid accusations by Democratic presidential frontrunner John Kerry that the White House has neglected the al-Qa'ida leader to the US's peril.

The renewed focus on bin Laden, who US intelligence believes is hiding on the mountainous Afghanistan-Pakistan border, comes amid bitter politicking in the US over national security."


I found the article to be a bit misleading in that it insinuates that Bush is pushing for the capture of Bin Laden because his political adversary, Kerry, is implying that Bush is weak on protecting the national security of the US:

"..."amid accusations by Democratic presidential frontrunner John Kerry that the White House has neglected the al-Qa'ida leader to the US's peril."

Again, interestingly enough....wasn't it just this past week that Kerry was downplaying the importance of Bin Laden?
I guess Kerry will get credit for such capture if and when it DOES take place?

Wait! Hasn't the capture of Bin Laden always been a priority of this Administration? Whats new that this article is mentioning? That Bush has ordered the agencies to step up efforts? Or is that this Administration went after Saddam before going after or finishing with getting Bin Laden? More on this later.

In more detailing of the proclaimation given by Iran that Bin Laden had been captured, this article addressing this was released by the Pakistan Observer:

"The story behind the Osama story"
www.pakobserver.net...

Excerpt:

"Few observers agreed with the authenticity of an Iranian Radio report that Osama bin Laden, the most wanted man today, was apprehended �some time before� from Pakistan.

A close monitoring of three reports issued by the Iranian Radio and official news agency on Saturday regarding Osama�s alleged capture showed that there were several contradictions within three reports.

One report said that he was captured from Pakistan�s �tribal areas� while second report said he was �held in no-man�s land�. The third report added that �he was arrested some time before� while initial report suggested that he was held �few days ago�. The third report issued by IRNA said that he was held �long time ago�. But in all dispatches it was suggested that he was �captured� from Pakistani territory.

The IRNA report also quoted Iranian Radio report as saying that �Rumsfeld trip to Pakistan on Thursday had been made in connection with the capture�. Pakistan and American officials have denied any knowledge of Rumsfeld�s visit to Pakistan. However, Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld did visit Afghanistan last week and there was no confirmation of his visit to Pakistan.

An Iranian Radio broadcast on Saturday in its Pushtu Service bulletin claimed that Osama bin Laden had been captured from �tribal areas of Pakistan�.

Observers here noted that the Iranian Radio report was carried out during afternoon but was not repeated thereafter in its more popular Farsi or Urdu language broadcast.

The Iranian official news agency, IRNA, later issued what it termed as �a confirmation report� and added that �radio�s external service, broadcast in Pushtun, said US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld`s trip to Pakistan on Thursday had been made in connection with the capture.�

The radio said, �the capture of the Al-Qaeda leader has been made sometime before, but US President George W Bush is intending to announce it when the American presidential election is held....."


hehehe, riigghhtt....just what those how are proponents of such beliefs wanted to hear, in regards to the last excerpted paragraph.



regards
seekerof

[Edited on 29-2-2004 by Seekerof]

The capture of Bin Laden will mean little if anything to terrorists. Someone will just take his place.

But it will mean a lot to the jokes we have in the Whitehouse because they will have a selling point for Bush's relection...

Though I would have a tendency to agree with what you first mentioned Thorfinn, I do think that it will certainly cause some degradation and hesitation within the terrorist community, especially within the nations of the Middle East. Then again, it could cause a backfire of very extreme and numerous terrorist acts? The possibility is certainly there but in view of Arabic traditions and such, if Bin Laden is taken alive, he will be viewed as a coward and a disgrace, in the eyes of the Arab world and if not, he certainly will to those of oppose and fight against the "infidels'.

Will it stop terrorism in its entirety? No. Will the capture or confirmed death of Bin Laden be seen as something minimal or minor? No.



regards
seekerof

In the latest turn of events on Bin Laden, it seems apparent that those days of sitting around and playing video games, spreading Islamic propaganda, drinking tea have ended? Seems that the 'man' is doing some serious, desparate "hustling" these past few weeks.

Latest:
"Report: Bin Laden escaped dragnet"
washingtontimes.com...

"Bin Laden 'evaded Pakistani raid'"
news.bbc.co.uk...

If the above article is of any indications, Bin Laden has been uncovered and is on the run. This would also indicate that the chances of capturing have somewhat increased significantly.

Further articles of interest concerning the hunt for Bin Laden:

"High-tech snooping for bin Laden"
edition.cnn.com...

"Al-Qa'ida suspects captured after phone chips left electronic trail"
news.independent.co.uk...


(But, along the same lines, he may well be dead or already captured and this is a media mis-direction play or dis-information stunt.)

I wonder what the life of the batteries are in that hand-held dialysis machine are anyhow?
As to being on the run, now the toys come into play:

"Global Hawk"
www.fas.org...

"JSTARS/Joint-Stars"
www.fas.org...

The scopes on the snipers/specila forces rifles:
"FLIR"
www.flir.com...

As to the spec. ops. units involved, I have already mentioned TF121. I have recently heard and read that another spec. ops. unit may be involved, along with the SAS.....:
the NightStalkers.

"NightStalker"
www.nightstalkers.com...



regards
seekerof

[Edited on 5-3-2004 by Seekerof]

I think the reports being released right now are typical Al Queda double talk meant to discredit and confuse. However Grey Fox, Delta, SAS, Nightstalkers, CIA Paramilitary, NSA, MI5, MI6, and the Desert Rats in disguise are going to bag his arse very very soon.. Please Bizzatch, that mofo is going down!



[Edited on 5-3-2004 by dreamrebel]

Originally posted by KrazyJethro
If Bush wins again, the political divide will be strong enough for Hillary to take it in 2008, pretty much what I think she is banking on.

a little off topic, but do you think hillary would have a chance if giuliani was to run?

Efforts are real...seems so, latest:
"US poised to launch huge spy operation in manhunt"
www.telegraph.co.uk.../news/2004/03/06/nblur206.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/03/06/ixnewstop.html

Excerpts:

"US commanders and intelligence chiefs are lining up an array of spy satellites, U2 spy planes, Predator drones, and ground-scattered listening devices and sensors to detect vehicle movements, Bush administration officials told CNN television.

The United States has block-booked satellite capacity to handle the mass of data expected from the surveillance effort concentrated on the mountainous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pakistani forces have been ordered in large numbers into the lawless tribal belts near the border, to form one half of a pincer movement against bin Laden. US forces, including special forces and CIA paramilitaries from the top secret Task Force 121, are to form the other half from the Afghan side.

U2 spy planes, equipped to take pictures, radar images and intercept communications, will be flying over the area within days, at a height of 70,000 feet.

They will be supplemented with lower flying Predator unmanned drones, some of them equipped with Hellfire anti-tank missiles, which have been used to deadly effect in the past against suspect convoys.

Ground sensors may also be placed along mountain passes to listen for moving vehicles."


End of the month?




regards
seekerof

Although looking at it from a completely different perspective, I am not suprised, and could expect it this month easily.

Latest article and update...just out today:

"Hunt for bin Laden gets new fillip after top Al Qaida operative is captured"
www.gulf-news.com...

Excerpt:

"A son of Osama bin Laden's deputy has given crucial information on the whereabouts of Al Qaida leaders after being captured by Pakistani forces in a lawless frontier area close to Afghanistan, intelligence officials in Islamabad have revealed.

Ayman Al Zawahiri's son, Khalid, was seized along with 20 other suspected foreign militants in a raid by Pakistan's security forces in the remote South Waziristan area 10 days ago, officials have told The Sunday Telegraph.

Information gleaned from him by interrogators has helped direct Pakistani and American forces in their drive to capture bin Laden and other senior Al Qaida figures, being conducted in the mountainous areas on both sides of the border."

"Bin Laden sent fax, official says
STILL HIDING: According to an Afghan official, bin Laden has been in contact with a former Taliban leader and requested an urgent meeting to try to find him a safe house"
www.taipeitimes.com...

Question:
How much dis-information or mis-information is needed or designed, that will get back to Bin Laden, to cause him to keep on the move?

*edit*
Ran across these as I was getting ready to sign off for bed:

"Pakistan expects to capture bin Laden"
interestalert.com.../sn/03060002aaa04934.upi&Sys=siteia&Fid=LATEBRKN&Type=News&Filter=Late%20Breaking

Excerpts:

"BEIRUT, Lebanon, March 6 (UPI) -- Pakistan's Interior Minister Faisal Hayat said Saturday he expects Osama bin Laden to be apprehended within days or weeks.

The minister's comments came after 35,000 Pakistani soldiers were deployed along the border with Afghanistan in the hunt for bin Laden."

Folks, that is 4 entire Divisions out of 20 Infantry Divisions within the Pakistani Army.
www.fas.org...
I would speculate that the hunt for Mr. Bin Laden is being taken quite serious.

This image of the supposed area of joint operations:



"Son gives clues to al-Qaeda lairs"
www.smh.com.au...




regards
seekerof

[Edited on 7-3-2004 by Seekerof]