Terror unmasked (Khalid Sheik Mohammed battled desperately in the seconds before his arrest)

The Daily Telegraph ^ | 3-4-3

[Indy Pendance]

EVIL al-Qaeda kingpin Khalid Sheik Mohammed battled desperately in the seconds before his arrest - grabbing a gun and wounding one of his captors.

Dramatic details of Khalid's terror projects – and of his last-ditch bid to evade justice – emerged yesterday as CIA agents questioned him.

US and Pakistani agents tracked him to his hideout via a mixture of hi-tech gadgetry and old-fashioned greed.

By monitoring phone calls, they closed in on the working-class city of Rawalpindi.

Word went out that informing pays well – and neighbours eager for a promised $41 million bounty led authorities to the home Khalid had been hiding in for 10 days.

Sunday's early morning raid, in which a Pakistani agent was wounded, was the culmination of the massive joint intelligence operation.

Prime Minister John Howard yesterday said the arrest was a "major breakthrough".

"It does strike at the heart of al-Qaeda's global network including in our own region," he said.

Australian intelligence services will not interview Khalid but will see material gleaned from the interrogation via long-standing intelligence sharing arrangements with the US.

Khalid, who has been labelled the "playboy planner" as a result of his lavish lifestyle on the run, was yesterday being interrogated at a joint US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.

As authorities were pouring over a cache of computers and documents seized during the Khalid arrest, it was revealed bin Laden's No. 3 had planned future attacks on the US and had links to the terrorist organisation suspected of the Bali bombings – Jemaah Islamiyah.

It is believed Khalid had originally planned to blow up bridges and petrol stations in the US during the September 11 attacks – and had planned to return to the US to finish the job.

Al-Qaeda operatives had been told to hijack fuel tankers and crash them into bowsers at petrol stations, while others were to slash suspension cables on bridges.

A senior Pakistani official yesterday said the capture of the man believed to be the "brains" of al-Qaeda puts authorities one step away from their No. 1 target – Osama bin Laden.

It was suggested al-Qaeda cells would be extremely nervous as a result of the arrest of the organisation's chief planner and recruiter over what plans had now been been compromised and who Khalid might name.

It is believed he can tell authorities where to find bin Laden.

Yesterday more details emerged about the terrorist's lavish lifestyle on the run.

Khalid is a karaoke lover who frequented the red light district of Manila where he was known to have enjoyed the company of bar girls.

Despite the playboy reputation, mystery surrounded Khalid's whereabouts before his capture.

It had been rumoured he had been killed or arrested in a shoot-out in Karachi on September 11, 2002 during which another al-Qaeda member was captured.

Some reports went so far as to suggest his wife and son had identified his body and buried him under the watchful eye of the FBI.

[Mr. Mojo]

Khalid, who has been labelled the "playboy planner" as a result of his lavish lifestyle on the run,

I guess he's not banking on the virgins being there for him in the afterlife.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Lets hope the "informants" GET a reward!! Otherwise, rewards will become irrelevant! They work, when USED. Pay the informants and do it soon.. not 10 years afterwards, and after a ton of beuracracy!!

[1Old Pro]

Khalid, who has been labelled the "playboy planner" as a result of his lavish lifestyle

No more.

[MississippiMan]

Khalid is a karaoke lover who frequented the red light district of Manila where he was known to have enjoyed the company of bar girls.

Play that funky music, white boy...

MM

[Indy Pendance]

What woman in her right mind with want that foul stench touching her?

[Indy Pendance]

New reality TV --- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire???

[LurkedLongEnough]

Khalid is a karaoke lover

Literally???!!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

We OFFER rewards then we don't give them. Or we give them 5 years later. I'm not saying it has to be MILLION"S", I'am saying REWARD people who turn in terrorists!!

But yes, If we SAY you will recieve a MILLION, then give them the reward!! Otherwise why say it? Isn't that akin to lying? Isn't offering a REWARD you have no intention of giving unethical?

FRegards, Vets

[The Great Satan]

Khalid is a karaoke lover who frequented the red light district of Manila where he was known to have enjoyed the company of bar girls.

So much for the "muslim fundamentalist" theory.

[VRWC_minion]

By monitoring phone calls, they closed in on the working-class city of Rawalpindi.

This may explain why the quick arrest. We didn't need to tap his for information, we already had it.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

George W. Bush: "You can run but you cannot hide!"

[The Great Satan]

It had been rumoured he had been killed or arrested in a shoot-out in Karachi on September 11, 2002 during which another al-Qaeda member was captured.

And I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was nabbed back in September, and the story of his arrest this weekend is hokum.

[DoughtyOne]

We'll see how tough this guy is now.

[eureka!]

"Khalid, who has been labelled the "playboy planner" as a result of his lavish lifestyle on the run...

Gone are those days. Sodium Pentathol, sleep deprivation and heaven knows what else have replaced young nubiles, caviar, fois gras, lobster and other niceties. I also hope he was a heavy smoker. No more Camels either...

[sheik yerbouty]

Susan Sarandon.

[T Ruth]

EVIL al-Qaeda kingpin Khalid Sheik Mohammed battled desperately in the seconds before his arrest - grabbing a gun and wounding one of his captors.

Prime Minister John Howard yesterday said the arrest was a "major breakthrough".

He was not arrested, he was captured.

[CedarDave]

I heard the same thing on this morning's Fox. The person they interviewed was hoping we would pay the reward. Apparently our record in this area is not outstanding. Compared to how much we pay for troops, support and equipment to hunt down these criminals, it is cheap.

[marshmallow]

Khalid is a karaoke lover who frequented the red light district of Manila where he was known to have enjoyed the company of bar girls.

"So big boy.....what line of work are you in?"

"I'm a secret terrorist plotter wanted by the FBI. I control hundreds of secret agents."

"Sure you are honey. All our customers say that. You're a damn taxi driver."

Like Atta and his henchmen, it seems the Sheikh has something of a soft spot for western fleshpots. Presumably this weakness for corrupt western ways is overlooked by Allah on account of the higher terrorist vocation to which he has called these servants of righteousness.

[steve-b]

No more Camels either.

Yep, his sex life is shot....

[HenryLeeII]

From the description of his lifestyle, it seems he has more in common with Hussein than with bin Laden. So much for Martin Sheen's defense that Hussein is secular and al-Qaeda is fundamentalist and the two cannot mix...

[mombonn]

What woman in her right mind with want that foul stench touching her?

What woman in her right mind would prostitute herself regardless of the "client"?

PMSNBC ran a very depressing look at the life of a prostitute over the weekend. It was SO icky.

[Blue Collar Christian]

That's why he hung out with whores.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

I agree with the person you say was interviewed on Fox. We have to pay these rewards. Seeing IS believing, and if we don't pay them, why in the world would ANYONE risk their lives and turn in anyone? Especially when they are putting their life and that of thier family on the line for another country/America?

They should be immediately protected, moved, set up elsewhere, and they should GET the reward IMMEDIATELY!!

By doing so, we could expect MORE people to report the whereabouts of MANY more terrorists. If it is only a "sighting" but turns out to be true.. then REWARD that person too!! REWARD people trying to help us.

We do have a bad record in this regard.. and we need to do what we say.. show we are a country who lives by her word.

FRegards, Vets

[razorbak]

Al-Qaeda operatives had been told to hijack fuel tankers and crash them into bowsers at petrol stations, while others were to slash suspension cables on bridges

What do these pinheads think these cables are made of, cotton rope?

[Blue Collar Christian]

A-greed.

[Blue Collar Christian]

"Susan Sarandon."

UGH!UGH!UGH!

[arm958]

George W. Bush: "You can run but you cannot hide!"

I recall Der Slickmeister saying the same thing. At least G.W. backs it up with actions.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Your post 28!!! Amen!!

[Guillermo]

Wait I thought we were ignoreing Al-Qaida with our "focus" on Irak...

[tracer]

"But yes, If we SAY you will recieve a MILLION, then give them the reward!! Otherwise why say it? Isn't that akin to lying? Isn't offering a REWARD you have no intention of giving unethical?"

Hey, we're just trying to blend into their culture. Kumbaya.......

[brewcrew]

So much for the "muslim fundamentalist" theory.

So, if this isn't about religious extremism/ fundamentalism (like we've all been told by our gummint), it can only be about one other thing: Al Qaida is a mafia-like organization, meaning it's really only about power and money.

[Semper Paratus]

Khalid, who has been labelled the "playboy planner" as a result of his lavish lifestyle

He loved the nightlife, he liked to boogie....

[shadowman99]

>>"Khalid, who has been labelled the "playboy planner" as a result of his lavish lifestyle on the run..."

Are they serious? Did you see the $h!thole they pulled this guy out of? Our ghettos look lavish next to where this guy was living!!!

[justshutupandtakeit]

It is a damn shame that you have to point out the obvious.

But as Vets you know the way things work. If the gubermint screws the Vets (and it does) it shorely will screw an informant.

[big gray tabby]

I thought the same thing. I was picturing a cab driver jumping out of his yellow and scrambling on to one of the cables on the George Washington and sawing at it with a pocket knife.

Plus on Sept. 11 he would have got a bad ass-beating.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

;o) that was funny.

[tracer]

"Yes, pay the reward. My first thought, too. Give him half the reward and use the other half to lift him and his entire extended family up out of the hellhole they probably live in and give them a place on an island somewhere they'll never be found for revenge."

Indeed. And the island nation of Cuba is nice this time of year.....

[Indy Pendance]

It's interesting to note that the media tries to discredit this administration constantly, Al-Qaeda being the last objective, and wham, Bush squashes it like a spider. How many times has this happened now? Strategery....

[DannyTN]

So that's what happened to John Belushi!

[M. Peach]

The reward is $41 Million? I thought Osama was worth $25 million - how is he worth more?

[Guillermo]

Rush earlier mentioned an article which essentially said that capturing this Jihadist wasa bad idea, because it would mobilize others, make others angry etc. I missed the source of the article, anyone know?

[cake_crumb]

"Playboy planner"....antacids....I need antacids.

[Indy Pendance]

Last night, probably on Fox, they were talking about this exact scenario, is Al-Qaeda the mafia of Islam? They were discussing tactics that AQ uses, which are very similar to those of the mafia. Who knows, maybe there is even a link between the two organizations.

[doug from upland]

This is the best possible use of $41 million in taxpayer money. I don't mind this at all. May they get it very quickly so that word may spread very quickly.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

I'm just hoping that THIS administration won't do like previous admins. and spout hollow words. I don't think they will.. but time will tell.

As to Vets, this administration has treated us decently so far. A huge improvement over the way things were happening before. Much more needs to be done, but improvement is improvement. I just had a claim go from start to end in 8 mos!! It used to be that claims like mine took 2 or more years!!

We just hope they fulfill promises like PAYING the
rewards offered. The result will be much better intelligence and the capture of many organizers and enemies of our country.

The more we capture these people, the less troops killed. The list of good things goes on and on.

[Indy Pendance]

Reports of the actual events are trickling in. I'm sure in a week or so, we all will have a more accurate understanding of what's been offered, how the capture happened, etc. The NY Slimes is reporting he was captured in his sleep. That's the beauty of FR. We can get all the reports and come up with a fairly accurate and detailed report of events based upon all sorts of news stories.

[cake_crumb]

What good, rabid Muslim would hang out in Keraoke bars and pick up drunk women?

[b4its2late]

Another typical dope smoking, Koran-spouting, virgin-fantasizing, reality-challenged publicity-seeking nutjob terrorist is caught or killed.