Posted on 01/15/2002 11:19:51 AM PST by LibertarianLiz
ABCNEWS has learned that CIA (news - web sites) officials believe Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) escaped from Afghanistan (news - web sites), and most likely has fled the region altogether. What's the next move in the search for the suspected terror mastermind?
An intelligence analysis sent to the CIA director last week concluded Osama bin Laden has escaped American efforts to find him in Afghanistan and that he most likely has fled the entire region by sea, ABCNEWS has learned.
In a major setback to the war on terrorism, CIA analysts have concluded bin Laden escaped from the Tora Bora cave complex in eastern Afghanistan around the first week of December, intelligence officials said.
The officials also told ABCNEWS that one captured al Qaeda fighter claims to have witnessed, in one of the Tora Bora hiding places, bin Laden turning over operational control to one of his deputies
"I think that most intelligence analysts are absolutely convinced at this point that bin Laden has slipped the noose and has left Afghanistan and Pakistan," said Vince Cannistraro, an ABCNEWS analyst and former CIA counterterrorism chief.
To fool U.S. forces in the area, the CIA believes, bin Laden left behind a tape-recorded message that was transmitted only after he was long gone.
Search Has Spread Beyond Afghanistan
Today, the Pentagon acknowledged the search for bin Laden and top al Qaeda leaders has spread well beyond Afghanistan.
"It would not be unfair to say that every one of us has this as a mission and that all the forces that are currently in Afghanistan or in any other country where we are pursuing the war on terrorism are focused on doing just that," said Adm. John Stufflebeen, deputy director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Asked about bin Laden's whereabouts, Secretary of State Colin Powell told ABCNEWS he did not know where bin Laden was but said U.S. forces were in "hot pursuit" of him. "I can't say he is out of that immediate region. I have seen nothing that suggests we know where he is, whether it's in Afghanistan, Pakistan or somewhere else," Powell said today.
U.S., German, British and French forces have been searching dozens of ships in the Arabian Sea for the last two months and last week's CIA report concludes bin Laden most likely fled by sea to Pakistan.
"That is not good news for the U.S.," Cannistraro said. "Bin Laden and his top assistant [Ayman] Al-Zawahiri can reconstitute now in places where they have known bases, Southeast Asia or the east coast of Africa."
American intelligence authorities say that while al Qaeda has been disrupted, and a few leaders have been captured and killed, bin Laden himself remains one step ahead of the United States, with the central nervous system of his terror network still intact.
Yeah, well, that's what happens when you pin
the war on catching one guy. Actually, the major setback
would be to capture him. That would bring
out the 'end the war now' throngs.
Hmmm... maybe first he will be sighted in the Phillipines...boom!...then found to have escaped to Somalia...boom!...just missed him, he hopped over to Yemen...boom!...gets away to Iraq...or will it be Saudi Arabia...
Well, whatever is takes.
ABC is an unreliable source.
As a matter of fact I think I did see Bin Laden the other day on a news report from Bagdhad.
Yep, I'm pretty sure that's where he is.
Wow, he sure is a lucky guy!!!
CIA denies Bin Laden escaped by sea THE TIMES OF INDIA | 1/15/02 | AFP
Posted on 1/15/02 1:48 AM Pacific by kattracks
WASHINGTON: Central Intelligence Agency analysts have concluded that suspected terror mastermind Osama Bin Laden has eluded US troops searching for him in Afghanistan and has fled from Pakistan by sea, ABC News reported on Monday.
A CIA spokeswoman immediately denied the report.
"It's completely untrue. That is not what the CIA believes," spokeswoman Anya Guilsher said.
ABC reported that CIA analysts tracking bin Laden have concluded he escaped from his hideout in Tora Bora in eastern Afghanistan around the first week of December, leaving behind a tape-recorded message to fool US pursuers.
The network quoted unnamed intelligence officials as saying a captured supporter claimed to have witnessed Bin Laden turning over operational control to one of his deputies before heading to Pakistan.
Laden and his al-Qaeda network have been targeted for destruction by the United States, which blames him for deadly September 11 suicide attacks on US targets.
Trading BS story for BS story!
Only those who hate America and what we have accomplished are trying to convince us that we have failed if we haven't killed or captured OBL!
The rest of us the 80% who know that this is a long battle and that it will not be over until the last country that is against us is gone!
Personally I hope that the CIA has OBL's body frozen in dry ice. Then, they drag it out for Somalia, Yemen, Syria/Lebannon and on through the vile middle east. Then we can destroy those who support terrorism in those miserable countries!
We know we are winning and no body of OBL is needed!
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