Posted on 12/08/2001 9:35:03 PM PST by TXCaptain
JUST HEARD ON CBS RADIO NEWS. CAN THIS BE CONFIRMED?
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TORA BORA, Afghanistan -- The hunt for world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, is intensifying amid reports that he may have fled a mountain hideout for nearby forests.
One Northern Alliance spokesman said the alleged terrorist mastermind was believed to be leading 1,000 men who "have now dug themselves into the forests of Spin Ghar after we overran all their bases in Tora Bora."
The spokesman, Mohammad Amin, said that he was confident the al Qaeda leader was in the region: "He [bin Laden] is here for sure."
There was no independent confirmation of Amin's account but tribal commanders do say bin Laden may be directing up to a thousand fighters.
Amin told Reuters that anti-Taliban forces had pushed bin Laden's al Qaeda followers from their bases in the cave-riddled Tora Bora heights about 55 km (35 miles) south of Jalalabad where U.S. warplanes have been pounding suspected hideouts for days.
"The American planes have been carrying out regular and severe bombings to kill him," he said, adding that at least one of the Saudi-born militant's Arab fighters had been killed in "very intense" fighting.
The rumble of heavy explosions continued to rock the White Mountains near Tora Bora Sunday as U.S. bombs began falling shortly after daybreak, when the golden vapor trails of U.S. bombers pierced the skies.
CNN's Brent Sadler reports al Quada fighters are no pushovers in the fight for Tora Bora (December 8)
The heavy bombing was followed by other explosions as smaller planes began attacking the rugged mountain targets.
Mortar fire emanated from those areas for several hours Saturday, stalling plans by anti-Taliban forces to storm those positions and cutting off an important road leading to the valley.
Smoke from bomb attacks was seen in the wooded, steep terrain Sunday. The snow-capped range marks Afghanistan's border with Pakistan.
Omar also missing
Mystery also surrounds the whereabouts of Taliban spiritual leader and bin Laden ally Mullah Mohammad Omar.
The hunt for the two men continued as anti-Taliban forces were reported to be squabbling among themselves for control of the former Taliban stronghold of Kandahar.
Rival tribal factions were meeting to carve up the former Taliban heartland.
Pashtun tribal leaders told CNN that Omar was in Kandahar Friday but slipped out of the city overnight.
CNN's Nic Robertson, the only Western journalist in the former Taliban stronghold, said Kandahar was calm after Omar surrendered the city Friday to longtime mujaheed Mullah Naqibullah, but Omar himself was not to be found.
"On Friday night, [anti-Taliban leaders] believed the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar was in Kandahar city, but by Saturday morning they believed he had gone missing and they did not know how he left the city," Robertson said. "That was causing concern."
U.S. military officials say they don't know where the Taliban leader is.
Robertson reported quiet in the city, its streets virtually deserted. He also said the road to Kandahar is littered with the dead and lined with armed men.
Tensions building in Kandahar
Although there was speculation of a showdown between the forces of Mullah Naqibullah and those loyal to Hamid Karzai, the interim Afghan leader, Pashtun tribal leaders told CNN that the two sides were in negotiations.
In agreeing to surrender Kandahar, Omar handed control to Naqibullah, a longtime mujahedeen commander.
His forces promptly took control of Kandahar's major military and administrative buildings.
But a commander loyal to Karzai's forces moved into the governor's office Friday and declared himself the governor.
-- CNN Correspondent Brent Sadler contributed to this report
Osama bin Laden is personally leading about 1,000 fighters defending his mountain strongholds in eastern Afghanistan, a Northern Alliance spokesman said on Sunday.
Yep, Geraldo spotted him while over hearing some so-called Afghani say, "Look at Osama, standing there like a stone wall..."
Osammy is a coward who uses others to do his fighting. The thought of him standing there personally leading his merry band of terrorists is laughable.
Maybe he will strap on one of those suicide belts and walk into a Marine Base to surrender? Yeah, sure... the Taliban already brought him his 72 virgin camels. He's too busy with them.
FR is the news source.
Thank you Mr. Robinson!
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to unknowing supportive muslims this just makes bin layin' look like a hero warrior...
It may help his image a lot...
I wonder who is writing this crap?
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