U.S. Captures Senior Al Qaeda Leader, Sources Say

Reuters via Yahoo ^ | 11/15/02

[B-bone]

U.S. Captures Senior Al Qaeda Leader, Sources Say

1 hour, 8 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - One of the top two-dozen al Qaeda leaders sought by the United States in its war on terrorism was captured recently and is in American custody, U.S. government sources said on Friday.

The sources declined to name the operative for Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s network who was caught in the past week or so. But it was not top lieutenant Ayman al-Zawahri, operational leader Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, nor bin Laden's son Saad.

U.S. authorities have become increasingly concerned this week that al Qaeda was planning fresh attacks.

The FBI (news - web sites) said that in selecting its next targets, the network may favor "spectacular attacks" that result in mass casualties and severe damage to the U.S. economy.

Contributing to that concern was an audio tape broadcast earlier this week on the al-Jazeera television channel in Qatar believed to be of bin Laden praising recent attacks and making fresh threats.

The United States blamed bin Laden and his al Qaeda network for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America that killed about 3,000 people.

Senior al Qaeda leaders in U.S. custody include Abu Zubaydah and Ramzi Binalshibh, who were being interrogated at an undisclosed location overseas.

"There have been a number of -- numerous senior leaders of al Qaeda that have either been eliminated, incarcerated or detained someplace," national security adviser Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) said without elaborating.

President Bush (news - web sites) earlier this week, in response to a question about the audio tape, said, "We'll chase these people down one at a time. It doesn't matter how long it takes, we'll find them and bring them to justice."

[blam]

"The sources declined to name the operative for Osama bin Laden 's network who was caught in the past week or so. But it was not top lieutenant Ayman al-Zawahri, operational leader Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, nor bin Laden's son Saad.

[B-bone]

Not sure, that's what I was wondering, however. If so, I would have thought that would have been mentioned by Reuters. Having said that--it's Reuters so who knows.

[Nick Danger]

I understand the frustration of Mr. Daschle, but I don't think he has a clue how badly he is coming off when he does that. No one believes for one second that the Democrats would be prosecuting the war on terrorism with one-tenth the intensity that Bush has. Any sniping on their part about not having caught bin Laden yet just sounds like so much adolescent crap.

Osama bin Laden is not an idiot, he has millions of dollars at his disposal, and he is not going to be easy to find or eliminate. For the Democrats to pretend that they would have done so by now is disgusting to watch and to hear.

Democrats continue to treat this as if it's a domestic policy dispute, instead of a national struggle to keep Americans alive while a fabulously wealthy crazy man tries to find ingenious ways to kill us. If they think they took a drubbing this November, just wait if they keep this up. They have either got to get on board with the rest of us, or they are headed for oblivion.

[Republic of Texas]

He was "due", and we "processed" him, NEXT CASE!

[Republic]

"U.S. Captures Senior Al Qaeda Leader, Sources Say"

You get the feeling this news, not really new, but kept secret until now, has been released in response to daschle and hitlery desparately attempting to trash our war on terrorism, dispirit our nation and hurt our troops.

It makes me angry to think that our administration releases information that also goes to our enemies in order to have to keep us bolstered (we don't need it) because certain weak, nasty, immoral and unethical democrats feel the need to trash the war on terrorism for political gain.

I am calling hitlery's office today. And daschle's-and it is NOT going to be pretty.

[Coop]

A hearty congratulations and thanks to all our troops and law enforcement folks out on the front lines of this terrible battle!

[Republic]

WOW-I thought that comment was strange...now I wonder if it is a message. Geeeeeeeez. That is something to consider.

[wayoverontheright]

. Two Al Queda bigs so far this month, one captured and one splattered by a remote-control airplane, the thought of which tightened a thousand Al Queda sphincters around the globe.

Priceless, Dirtboy, they can't come out of their caves and look up without fear of seeing a drone, or bend over with the assurance that a HELLFIRE isn't headed up their bunghole.

[Dog]

I just had a wicked thought......what IF this is Bin Laden??

No can't be.....could it?

[Angelus Errare]

I don't think the Suleiman Abu Ghaith is on the US's top twenty list, though he is a member of al-Qaeda's Shura Majlis (board of directors). He's a key ideologue, but al-Qaeda could easily replaced him if he were actually captured, rather like the London-based sheikhs in al-Muhajiroun.

Also, did they ever determine whether or not Mahfouz Ould Walid ("Mr. Mauritania," the chief of global recruiting) had in fact survived the January bombing in Khost and made it to Tehran with al-Adel?

Another possibility is the al-Qaeda C-in-C in Afghanistan, Abdel Hari al-Iraqi.

[Chairman_December_19th_Society]

The United States blamed bin Laden and his al Qaeda network for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America that killed about 3,000 people.

Reuters liberal bias is showing. This makes it sound as if we have no proof.

Only that the guy said he did it. We don't "blame" him for doing it, we KNOW he did it.

[DaisyCutter]

If he really had called those comments in by phone to be recorded, it would have made him easier to find, that's for sure.

Though I still think it would be more likely to be some commander in Afghanistan

[Dog]

What was the name of the Taliban C in C that was in charge of.... Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces in Operation Anaconda??

[antaresequity]

The United States blamed bin Laden and his al Qaeda network for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America that killed about 3,000 people.

Unreal...I thought we had gotten beyond this...I was under the impression that 99% of the civilized western world had concluded and accepted the fact that Bin Laden WAS responsible...Why cant they just say it?

[Angelus Errare]

And if the "Caught on Tape" confession by bin Laden wasn't enough, if memory serves al-Qaeda has released two videotaped testimonies by the hijackers themselves to al-Jazeera (one in April, the other in September) claiming responsibility for the attacks.

Right now, the only people who won't admit that al-Qaeda carried out the attacks are leftist journalists.

[Coop]

For the same reason that they won't call terrorists "terrorists."

[wayoverontheright]

I just had a wicked thought......what IF this is Bin Laden??

That would explain the delay in announcing it. The need for positive ID, you know. The longer our people wait to announce who it is the more your wicked thought might be correct!

[dawn53]

I agree with you. It doesn't seem like a brand new arrest, the article says "recent arrest."

I'm also wondering if this "recent arrest" is the reason for the increased warnings.

It always seems to me that when they capture a new Al Qaeda leader, we get an increase in warnings.

[B-bone]

I just had a wicked thought......what IF this is Bin Laden??

No can't be.....could it?

Pretend you are a dem and create your own reality.

I knew you could.

[hchutch]

Allow me to add to that comment:

It took us a while, a lucky break (of Japanese codes), and some very good flying by Tom Lanphier to bring justice to the mastermind of the attack on Pearl Harbor, one Isoroku Yamamoto.