Posted on 08/30/2002 7:04:48 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
.c The Associated Press
LONDON (AP) - Pakistan's security officials believe Osama bin Laden was probably killed in a U.S. air strike on al Qaida's mountain fortress in eastern Afghanistan last year, a British newspaper reported Friday.
Senior Pakistani officials said bin Laden was unlikely to have survived the intense U.S. air bombardment of the al Qaida Tora Bora camp in December, The Financial Times of London reported from Islamabad.
In a story posted on its Web site, the newspaper said some analysts believe the accused mastermind of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States suffered from a serious kidney ailment at that time.
``Our assessment remains that Osama bin Laden, who was not too well when last year's terrorist attacks happened, could not have survived the attacks on Tora Bora,'' an unidentified senior Pakistani official told the newspaper.
``Even if he didn't get hit fatally, it was impossible for him to have survived, literally surrounded by scores of hostile troops with no possibility of receiving regular medical care,'' the official was quoted as saying.
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has said for months that he believes bin Laden is dead but has offered no proof. However, several former Taliban figures have said they believe bin Laden slipped out of Tora Bora before the heaviest U.S. attacks.
The newspaper reported that Pakistani officials had been eager to insist bin Laden was dead after Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said the anti-terror campaign might have to be extended to countries surrounding Afghanistan.
On a visit to Bagram air base in Afghanistan on Sunday, Franks told troops there was no ``convincing proof'' that bin Laden was dead.
Afghan Foreign Minister Dr. Abdullah told The Associated Press in an interview Sunday that he believes bin Laden is across the border in Pakistan. Pakistani authorities dismiss such talk as speculation.
sigh.
Hard to imagine that, given our interest in finding him, we wouldn't have succeeded if he were still alive. Also, given his megalomania, I have to assume he wouldn't be able to resist opportunity to tweak the USA with an in-your-face "I'm still alive" videotape.
CREDIBILITY to be givin to a paki official!? ONE BIG YAWN
bet this article gets bumped PRONTO from this part of site(i hope so, anyway).
I think you're right -- he doesn't seem to have that kind of self-control.
Reminds me of the scene in Manhunter, when "Lektor" has a little talk with Will Graham:
Will Graham: I know that I'm not smarter than you.
Doctor Hannibal Lektor: Then how did you catch me?
Will Graham: You had disadvantages.
Doctor Hannibal Lektor: What disadvantages?
Will Graham: Passion. And you're insane.
"believe Osama bin Laden was probably killed"
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