Bin Laden 'surrounded'

[lucky wilbury]

http://www.sundaytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,9353,8752173-28778,00.html

Bin Laden 'surrounded'

February 22, 2004

A BRITISH Sunday newspaper is claiming Osama bin Laden has been found and is surrounded by US special forces in an area of land bordering north-west Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Sunday Express, known for its sometimes colourful scoops, claims the al-Qaeda leader has been "sighted" for the first time since 2001 and is being monitored by satellite.

The paper claims he is in a mountainous area to the north of the Pakistani city of Quetta. The region is said to be peopled with bin Laden supporters and the terrorist leader is estimated to also have 50 of his fanatical bodyguards with him.

The claim is attributed to "a well-placed intelligence source" in Washington, who is quoted as saying: "He (bin Laden) is boxed in."

The paper says the hostile terrain makes an all-out conventional military assault impossible. The plan to capture him would depend on a "grab-him-and-go" style operation.

"US helicopters already sited on the Afghanistan border will swoop in to extricate him," the newspaper says. It claims bin Laden and his men "sleep in caves or out in the open. The area is swept by fierce snow storms howling down from the 10,000ft-high mountain peaks. Donkeys are the only transport."

The special forces are "absolutely confident" there is no escape for bin Laden, and are awaiting the order to go in and get him.

"The timing of that order will ultimately depend on President Bush," the paper says. "Capturing bin Laden will certainly be a huge help for him as he gets ready for the election."

The article says bin Laden's movements are monitored by a National Security Agency satellite.

On Thursday last week, General Richard Myers, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said America had been engaged in "intense" efforts to capture bin Laden, who was believed to be hiding in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

But he insisted that the focus of the search had not narrowed for months.

[alexpgrimes]

That would be great news if it was true.

[Little Texan]

I sure hope they get his ass this time. Remember, back in late 2001 they thought they had him boxed in then, too, and he got away.

[BITEYOASS]

I will except anything less than Bin Laden's head on a stick!

[Panamark]

Yep, its made the news here in OZ too. Although the source of the new's credibility has been questioned.

[Seshmeister]

Call me a cynic (or FORD) but Blair is in deep political trouble and there is a US election this year.

What an amazing coincidence....

Cheers!

[Viking]

I wanna see him on video, being dragged by American troops - face-down and feet-first.

[Seshmeister]

He's like the big bad wolf but do we even know if the useless skinny prick had anything to do with 9-11?

Cheers!

[Va Beach VH Fan]

No American papers have picked up on it yet...

Here's the Aussie version with a little more detail on how they supposedly narrowed the search.... If it turns out true, that's some incredible research....

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8754564%255E401,00.html

Bin Laden 'boxed in' by US soldiers

February 22, 2004
OSAMA bin Laden is reportedly surrounded by United States special forces in a mountain range that straddles north-west Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Internationally respected investigative journalist and author Gordon Thomas says the al-Qaida terror group leader has been sighted for the first time since 2001 and is being monitored by satellite.

In a report to be published in a British newspaper, Thomas says bin Laden is in a mountainous area to the north of the Pakistani city of Quetta.

The region is said to be a stronghold for bin Laden supporters and the terror kingpin is estimated to have 50 of his fanatical bodyguards by his side.

Thomas attributes his report to "a well-placed intelligence source" in Washington who is quoted as saying: "He (bin Laden) is boxed in."

The area makes an all-out conventional military assault impossible, according to the report.

The plan to capture him would depend on a "grab-him-and-go" operation.

"US helicopters already sited on the Afghanistan border will swoop in to extricate him," the report says.

It continues by saying bin Laden and his men "sleep in caves or out in the open".

"The area is swept by fierce snow storms howling down from the 3000m-high mountain peaks. Donkeys are the only transport."

The US special forces are "absolutely confident" there is no escape for bin Laden and are waiting for the order to snatch the shadowy terrorist leader.

The timing of that order will ultimately depend on President George Bush, the report says.

"Capturing bin Laden will certainly be a huge help for him as he gets ready for the election.

"It will be an even bigger bonus than getting Saddam."

The article goes on to say bin Laden's movements are continually monitored by a US National Security Agency satellite positioned over the land in which the wealthy Saudi is trapped.

Joint chiefs of staff chairman General Richard Myers said last week the US had been engaged in "intense" efforts to capture bin Laden.

But General Myers insisted that the focus of the search had not narrowed for months.

"There are areas where we think it is most likely he is, and they remain the same," he said. "They haven't changed in months."

Asked where bin Laden was hiding, General Myers said: "We think in that border region somewhere. We don't know precisely."

Bin Laden's whereabouts were discovered, according to the report, when US Central Intelligence Agency analysts – geographers and soil experts – studying the background in the al-Qaida boss's latest video suggested it matched rocks in the Toba Kakar ranges.

CIA agents, working with Pakistani guides, went from Afghanistan to the region to take photographs and bring out rock and soil samples.

These were flown to Washington where the CIA analysts electronically matched them to the video background.

A two-man special forces surveillance unit infiltrated the area.

"Within a week, they had picked up the first clues that bin Laden was around," according to a source quoted in the report.

"Other teams then slipped into the area.

"No helicopters were used, to avoid any alert."

Once the area was sealed, the special forces troops watched and waited for the order to go in and end the largest manhunt in history.

Bin Laden, head of the fanatical Muslim al-Qaida group, is alleged to have masterminded the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York and Washington.

[John Ashcroft]

Other than he admitted to it?

[FORD]

Originally posted by John Ashcroft
Other than he admitted to it?

He never admitted to it. That video was every bit as authentic as the Milli Vanilli album. The "Osama" in that video didn't even come close to Bin Laden's appearance. Certainly a guy could have put on a few pounds, especially if he's returning to health after a battle with kidney disease. But is he going to be shorter. And then taller again in his next video?

That video was bullshit.

Now that doesn't mean Bin Laden wasn't involved but let's face it, the timing of this operation wasn't coordinated by carrier pigeon in some fucking cave in Afghanistan. There is a lot of shit that you are not being told, as well as some blatantly obvious things that some of you refuse to believe.

And as for the possibility of Bin Laden turning up this time.... well this really says it all, doesn't it?

"The timing of that order will ultimately depend on President Bush," the paper says. "Capturing bin Laden will certainly be a huge help for him as he gets ready for the election."

[Viking]

I swear to God, FORD, you're the reason why a fun party can break up early.....

[FORD]

Originally posted by Viking
I swear to God, FORD, you're the reason why a fun party can break up early.....

Only if your idea of a "fun party" is Junior once again exploiting the deaths of 2700 people for his political gain.

[Viking]

FORD, roommates like you were the reason why my girlfriends didn't want to spend the night. :fucku2:

[Panamark]

Its taken the US this long to clone him so they could stage his capture.

Fark, theres a good angle for the conspiracists amongst us.