Posted on 05/03/2011 7:18:01 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
ABBOTTABAD, Pakistan — In his last days, Osama bin Laden was not surrounded by a circle of heavily armed Arab bodyguards or mujahedeen who had fought with him in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. Rather, he relied on two Pakistanis, one of whom, according to American officials, was his most trusted courier. Both men died with him in the American raid on their compound.
They were known here as Arshad Khan and Tareq Khan, although one police official said that Arshad was not the man’s real name and that he carried a fake identity card. Although American officials have said they were brothers, a neighbor who gave his name only as Qassim said the men were cousins. Qassim lives directly opposite the compound that American commandos stormed just after midnight Monday, and his father worked as a watchman there for several years.
The men were Pashtuns from Charsadda, in the northwest frontier region close to Afghanistan, and moved to Abbottabad seven years ago. It remains unclear how they came to know Bin Laden and whether the men were known to the Pakistani military or intelligence services.
On Tuesday the police removed the cordon around the area where they lived in Bilal Town, a middle-class neighborhood on the edge of this quiet country town, allowing journalists up to the compound.
No one here seemed to have any idea that an important fugitive was living behind the high walls, nor did they know well the two Pakistanis who owned the house. But they said the men were model neighbors who never caused trouble, greeted people courteously on the street and strolled with their children in the fields around their house.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Yes we Khan!
Demand a full refund from Pakistan for all the financial aid in the last ten years.
If the money isn’t received in full by Friday, the bombing commences.
I am wondering, and this only an opinion, but I wonder if some members of the intelligence community intentionally withheld intel in the last days of Bush Adminstration to screw President Bush and GOP over. This place is so obvious.
Now he Khan’t
Odd that there would be Pakistanis in Pakistan. This gets more odd by the minute. /sarc
Ahh..., so his guy worked as a guard for UBL's household? For years?! He must have known who lived there.
Clearly, if Osama's hiring security staff from the local economy, he wasn't exactly in deep cover. No wonder the local Pakistani security folks didn't intervene when they heard shooting from Chez Laden.
I wonder what language they spoke to each other?
Bin Laden was a Saudi, who spent time in the UK. Probably knew English.
The Khan brothers probably spoke Pashto or Urdu.
One wonders if they had to speak to each other in English.
Don’t worry — no one likes a turncoat, even those who benefit from their behavior. A turncoat can’t be trusted any more than a Muzzie can be.
I think the real shock is he wasn’t living in Orlando.
The only good raghead is a dead raghead.
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.