Arrest of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed could lead to bin Laden: CCISS

CBC News Online ^ | March 1, 2003

[HAL9000]

OTTAWA - A Canadian expert on terrorist networks says the arrest of a top al-Qaeda member in Pakistan suggests the U.S. may be closer to cornering Osama bin Laden.

On Saturday, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was picked up during an early-morning raid on a house in Pakistan. He's accused of coming up with the idea of turning passenger planes into missiles for an attack against the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

The arrest is significant for several reasons, according to Martin Rudner, director of the Canadian Centre of Intelligence and Security Studies (CCISS) and a professor at Carleton University in Ottawa.

The fact U.S. and Pakistani agents were able to swoop down on an alleged al-Qaeda mastermind in the middle of the night, without any resistance, suggests authorities now have spies at the core of bin Laden's network, Rudner says.

"That indicates, in fact, a deep penetration of the al-Qaeda protective wall," Rudner told CBC News, "to be able to identify not only where the leaders are but also when they are most vulnerable.

"So this tells us that the al-Qaeda leadership is not only on the run, but that they are in fact closely pursued by the United States or its allied intelligence services."

Rudner said Saturday's raid in Pakistan may well "be a precursor of further arrests," including the capture of bin Laden himself.

"If there is now an agent or a mole in the al-Qaeda network which revealed where Khalid Mohammed was, that agent or mole might well be able to reveal where other leaders, including Osama bin Laden, are."

Mohammed will be interrogated at some U.S.-chosen location, but not in the United States itself, Rudner predicted. Authorities will try to find out what other attacks al-Qaeda has been plotting, as well as where other key members of the organization are hiding.

Rudner agrees with the White House's description of Mohammed's arrest as major. "This was a leading figure in the organization, a military planner of the first rank, and a terrorist of the first rank," he said.

[latrans]

Wow, I'm glad we have the Canadians to tell us this.

[Cicero]

"If there is now an agent or a mole"

That $25 million reward would be pretty tempting, I should think.

[MEG33]

Time for Al Quida to clone new phones!

[beaversmom]

Oh, whose head will be on stick first? I think I'm gonna have to go with Saddam on this one. Hopefully Osama will be a very close second.

[laconic]

There is no honor among thieves; they'll sell each other out for a few cents, and they'll sell their own mothers for $25 million.

[Paleo Conservative]

A Canadian expert on terrorist networks says the arrest of a top al-Qaeda member in Pakistan suggests the U.S. may be closer to cornering Osama bin Laden.

The best time to capture bin Lauden would be in October 2004 just before the elections.

[Texas Eagle]

There goes the DemocRATS script for the Sunday talk shows.

Oh well, they could always accuse President Bush of not paying enough attention to the economy.

[gg188]

I am just joining the threads for tonight, so this has probably been said before. If so, here it is again:

Dude GIVES IT UP. He gives up Bin Laden, he gives up his MOMMA by the time our torture experts finish with him.

We go straight to the heart of the matter, no bs, no kid-gloves, no pussy-footing. Moham gives up Bin Laden the first hour---before or after the most heinous, unimaginable and painful torture dreamt of.....His choice: he can give it up before or after.

[VaBthang4]

That guy is having a long, scary, hard, sleepless night [as I type].

I would guess that the capture of the Pakistani who tried to assault the US Embassy yesterday led to his interrogation which in turn led to one of his handlers, which then led to his interrogation which then led to Muhammad.

[gg188]

I am just joining the threads for tonight, so this has probably been said before. If so, here it is again:

Dude GIVES IT UP. He gives up Bin Laden, he gives up his MOMMA by the time our torture experts finish with him.

We go straight to the heart of the matter, no bs, no kid-gloves, no pussy-footing. Moham gives up Bin Laden the first hour---before or after the most heinous, unimaginable and painful torture dreamt of.....His choice: he can give it up before or after.

[LibWhacker]

Arrest of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed could lead to bin Laden

Yep, he should be able to tell us where the grave is.

[Huck]

The best time to capture bin Lauden would be in October 2004 just before the elections.

F that. ASAP is the best time, for crying out loud.

[Monty22]

Frankly, $25m is chicken feed compared to the islamic finance machine, or bin laden himself.

[Texas Eagle]

Prediction time: Who will be the first liberal Clymer to come to Khalid Mohammed's defense?

[MonroeDNA]

The dogs of the CIA are finally let loose.

Dubya rules!

[Paleo Conservative]

Prediction time: Who will be the first liberal Clymer to come to Khalid Mohammed's defense?

[Archangelsk]

F that. ASAP is the best time, for crying out loud.

Eloquently and correctly put.

[7 x 77]

Canadian Centre of Intelligence and Security Studies?

[Lady Jag]

If Rita Cosby's info is right that he "knows where Osama was in the past 24 to 36 hours", you can bet we didn't take him too far to interrogate him. You can bet they want Osama badly enough to hang close and be there to get him.