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.
What does this mean:
1) They don't know if their leader is dead or alive?
2) We can't intercept their communications worth a darned?
3) Osama is alive and has particulary secure / covert hiding places?
However, I didn't get into the freeper dead-pool, so I'll never be able to collect the million-dollar prize. Dang!
Leni
Quick! Tell that to Pepe Escobar!
That said, IF he is alive, he may just be playing a clever game. I heard on a Fox News show about a week or so ago that there is a tradition that there will be a great leader who will be killed by the infidels, but then be sent back by Allah to lead the fight against the infidels. I wish I could remember where I heard this, but I know I heard it. So - Bin Laden could be laying low waiting for some high infidel (Bush, Blair, Rumsfeld) to declare him absolutely dead, then "miraculously" reappear to lead the masses of Islam against the infidel West.
On the other hand, he could be dead.
Nothing the media(DNC) does in this area is by chance. The media is simpy not to be trusted, but rather questioned.
For so long the press accused Bush of failure since he did not get Osama. Why is the press now willing to grant this victory to Bush?
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