Bin Laden on the Move, Al Qaeda Chief Believed to Be Back in Afghanistan

[rodbarnett]

Feb. 25— Osama bin Laden and his No. 2 man have moved out of Pakistan and are believed to have crossed the mountainous border back into Afghanistan, U.S. intelligence officials tell ABCNEWS.

The intelligence reports come as Arabic television stations aired audiotapes purportedly made by bin Laden's top aide, Ayman al-Zawahri. In one of the tapes, a man said to be Zawahri taunts President Bush and threatens new attacks on the United States.

Zawahri and his boss, bin Laden, moved out of Pakistan as that country's army stepped up pressure on tribal leaders in the far western area of Waziristan, U.S. intelligence officials tell ABCNEWS. The homes of suspected al Qaeda sympathizers in that region have been set on fire and there have been numerous arrests.

Officials tell ABCNEWS they believe the two al Qaeda leaders have slipped across the mountainous border and re-entered Afghanistan.

U.S. troops lack the authority to hunt for bin Laden in Pakistan, but they are free to operate in Afghanistan.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/Investigation/zawahri_tapes_040224.html

comment : how do they know all this detailed stuff?

[qanda]

1. Hey, look over there, it's Osama Bin Laden!

Just another "news" organization doing their part in the department of distraction.

[CaptainClark23]

2. Next up - OBL's Gay Marriage to Mullah Omar!!

That report after sports and weather, stay tuned....

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

4. Ok, that's some funny shit.........

[frylock]

3. must be the fat osama whose 'days are numbered' in pakistan..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x383555

[0007]

5. " how do they know all this detailed stuff?"

sounds like a propaganda champaign to me

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

7. It sure does sound like that to me as well.

Does being 0007 make you more of a bad ass than 007? Just wondering.

[Teaser]

6. I still think he's dead.

Ain't no way he could have lived this long without near-daily dialysis. I just can't see it happening.

One MIT prof thinks his "voice" on the recent tapes is really that of his son...http://www.technologyreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forumid=521&iPage=3

[Ripley]

9. I think he's probably dead too, but...

That did appear to be him in those videotapes released (last year?) where he was walking through the mountainous area. He looked older, greyer, and sicker.

[bif]

8. Well, since we've liberated Afghanistan

and we control the entire place, it should just be a matter of setting up a couple of seatbelt check roadblocks and we should have him by Saturday.

[central scrutinizer]

12. maybe the liberated Afghan women can help

<>

[grasswire]

10. but........

..I thought he was cornered?

Goddam liars.

[CaptainClark23]

11. Upon consideration

OK, whats this about? Thoughts:

1. Takes the pressure off of our buddy Musharef to hand over OBL...if he pushes too hard in the tribal territories, he runs an even greater risk of getting whacked by the fundies, which we obviously don't want.

2. On the other hand, it now puts the onus on US forces in Afghanistan, why? Put in more troops? From where?

3. Last week, I think, there was a hammer n' anvil report re: taking OBL in tribal territories, using US forces from Afghanistan and Paki units from their side of border to sandwich OBL and Taliban fighters. The implication was that the action would be in Pakistan. Could this be a reversal, putting the action in Southern Afghanistan, thereby precluding the outrage if US Special forces crossed into Paki tribal areas? (as if they weren't already, but we need this exercise to be visible)

4. Are Paki units now going to cross into Afghanistan to complete the hammer n' anvil?

5. This is all plot development for the October surprise, when we catch OBL in Afghanistan, NOT Pakistan, thereby justifying the Afghanistan invasion and making a real Mission Accomplished moment.

Just thinking aloud, thanks.

[rodbarnett]

13. making a real Mission Accomplished moment

flight suit and all??

[Teaser]

14. All this searching could simply be...

...an opportunity for the Bushies to declare OBL dead. Once we pore over every rock and can't find anything.

[CaptainClark23]

16. admit being wrong again?

after all they've said about him being cornered, etc., then to admit that we've spent all this money looking for someone who is dead?

after the fiasco on wmd intelligence? I just don't see it.

However, they could announce his demise in an effort to capture him, a martyr's death, he blew himself up when capture was imminent, not enough pieces to display for proof.

[trogdor]

15. How many days' headstart did we give him?

Can't catch him until October, don't forget.