Posted on 11/16/2001 1:21:18 PM PST by blam
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16 2001
Message betrays panic at top of al-Qaeda
BY DANIEL MCGRORY
A BRIEF but frantic message on a short-wave radio picked up by US special forces in the mountains of southern Afghanistan this week is the first evidence that al-Qaeda’s high command are going their separate ways to escape.
The panic in al-Qaeda’s ruling shura council is evident from the risks that they took in breaking cover knowing that their communications are being monitored.
Until this week al-Qaeda’s most wanted stayed close to their leader and never dared to use satellite telephones or radios in case they betrayed the location of their headquarters. Now some of Osama bin Laden’s most trusted lieutenants who planned the September 11 attacks are thought to have fled to a new hiding place so that even if their leader is captured or killed the terror campaign can continue.(They want to kill you and everyone you know)
Most are believed to be holed up in mountains in Paktia, or the neighbouring mountainous provinces of Oruzghan and Ghor.
US intelligence chiefs suspect that some may have already slipped across the border to Pakistan or Tajikistan to a haven. “You have to assume they always had an escape plan in the event the Taleban folded,” a Western security source said yesterday.
Since he settled in Afghanistan in 1996, bin Laden has spent a great deal of time and money preparing an emergency exit strategy. There are caves, safe houses, camps, refugee centres, tribal areas and routes across the mountains.
Bin Laden realises that the obsession is with catching him, so that leaves a chance for his lesser-known associates. “Once they saw what had become of the Taleban this week, they would have activated their escape plan so they live to fight again,” the source said.
The key figure that al-Qaeda needs to protect is its deputy and founding member, Ayman Zawahiri, a former Cairo surgeon who is regarded as the terrorist tactician. He recruited the financiers and planners who were sent to operational bases abroad and he is alleged to have picked the hijack leader, Mohammed Atta, who went to his university.
When he merged his Islamic Jihad group with al-Qaeda, Dr Zawahiri brought his acolytes with him. They had devised operations such as the attack on USS Cole in Aden last year, the bombings of US embassies in East Africa in 1998 and the suicide hijackings in America.
Bin Laden is sure to have taken steps to arrange a safe house for his financiers, who know where al-Qaeda’s bank accounts, which would be needed in any future attacks, are kept.
The banker whom the FBI believe was the field commander for the hijackings was Shaykh Saiid, who flew to Pakistan on the morning of September 11 on his way to join his leader.
Tony Blair revealed how bin Laden sent secret messages to the chosen few to be back in Afghanistan by September 10. What Western intelligence does not know is how many of this ruling shura were trusted with the secret of the identities of its agents based abroad.
Bin Laden kept his European operations separate from the US mission so only a handful know all al-Qaeda’a secrets. Other key figures who have not been seen recently include Saudi-born Abu Zoubeida, who was co-ordinating a series of bomb attacks timed for New Year’s Eve in December 1999.
Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah is an explosives expert who has taught al-Qaeda’s most promising recruits, who were later sent to Europe, the Far East and America to await their orders.
What leaders like George Bush and Tony Blair find ironic is that for all their boasts of seeking martydom, al-Qaeda’s leading figures have spared no cost and energy in ensuring that they survive
I hope the media keeps it up. They have really started to lose credibility with Joe and Jane six-pack.
Anyone who believes this crap: don't let the door hit you in the butt on the way out.
Bush will not go weak kneed.
Texans know how to kill when necessary.
When it is time to kill, we kill with a will.
"Texans always move them." R.E. Lee after a Civil War battle when Texas regiments won the day.
Their transmissions would more than likely be omni-directional. It's the most likely configuration of a portable HF or VHF radio setup or satellite phone.
Even if they had sent these transmissions using a directional antenna, at least two receiving stations would be needed to properly determine the location the transmission came from (Which I'm sure we've had setup and listening for sometime).
You could determine direction with one receiver and a specialized type of antenna but you'd have to be close and get very lucky.
This one is very evil. A real stone killer who would use a nuke as soon as he had one.
It is not misplaced at all. And it's not blind faith either - the Bush team has performed well above expectations almost from the beginning.
Almost sureal.
No. I am not from either state.
That was Mary Landrieu, we call her "brown roots." She stole her last election and we hope to defeat her this time.
Much too easy for them. Maybe off the ramp of a C-17, like the food packets. If we can drop peanut butter and jelly from 30,000 feet, surely we could drop a few Taliwackers and Al-Quesyians out the back. If they didn't die from hypoxia, they surely would become unconscious, only to revive as they reached thicker air, which would be even more of a shock than being kicked off the ramp in the first place. Oh and don't forget the porker that gets to make the trip with each of them.
I am from Alabama and '4conservativejustices' is from Georgia. I have 'pinged' him, he is the 'brains' on this subject. Expect a reply tomorrow.
All radio signals are directional, just not all receivers. and Yes, not only can we, I'm sure we already have.
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