Bin Laden sons 'shot, captured' (Believed US is incensed official may have spoken too soon)

The Daily Telegraph ^ | March 8, 2003

[Indy Pendance]

THE United States has refused to deny reports that two of Osama bin Laden's sons – including his heir apparent to the al-Qaida terror network – have been captured in a gun battle with US troops.

The reports, confirmed on television by a Pakistani Government official, have intensified speculation that the US is closing in on the fugitive terrorist warlord, the world's most wanted man since the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.

The official said bin Laden's sons were shot in a fierce gunfight between al-Qaida fighters and US troops in Ribat, an area of Afghanistan near the borders with Iran and Pakistan.

It is believed Washington is incensed that the official may have spoken too early, with US special forces tracking bin Laden in tribal lands between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Responding to the claim, White House spokesman Ari Fleisher said: "We have no information to substantiate that report." However, he would not deny it.

The US and Pakistan have been dropping leaflets offering lucrative rewards for bin Laden and his supporters, as part of increased military action in the region since the capture last weekend of al-Qaida operations chief Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who had been in recent contact with his boss

The sons – anointed successor Saad, 23, the oldest of bin Laden's 20 children, and youngest son Hamza, a teenager – are said to have been shot during the battle in which nine al-Qaida fighters died.

The report came from Sanaullah Zehri, Home Minister of Pakistan's Baluchistan province and the region's top security official.

"We have information that two sons of Osama bin Laden were injured. The people killed belonged to al-Qaida," Mr Zehri said.

Saad has emerged as one of the US's top targets. His arrest would come as a major blow to bin Laden.

Sources say that of all his children, bin Laden is closest to Hamza.

[xp38]

Bin Cave Caulk for some time now.

[mercy]

Hey Osama! If you are god's chosen .... don't ya wish he'd choose somebody else now? Think about it ya puke. Just what kind of 'god' are you working for?

We will crush you ... and your seed.

[VRWC_minion]

DNa evidence might be one reason but another comes to mind. If its not confirmed either way then Saddam doesn't know either. If he doesn't know then he might attempt to contact someone close to these folks to try and determine what happened. Such an attempt may help determine where he is.

[reformedliberal]

I like Cruella bin Villepin. Dominque is such a fop.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Hey libs, this means they're hiring.

[TADSLOS]

I'm guessing that the U.S. is waiting on the DNA results to be confirmed.

[patriciaruth]

He just seemed to have something on his mind that he WASN'T telling us

He and Tony have finally set a timetable that they are going to follow. We're going to war in cold blood, not like Afghanistan where we went hot-blooded.

But after we find the goods on Saddam, I think the Americans at least will be furious....but furious mostly with the U.N.

[patriciaruth]

GWB didn't call a conference to make the comments he wound up making.

Yes, he did. It was to preempt the effect of the Blix report coming the next day.

[patriciaruth]

Unless, of course, he's dead and the kids were running the show in his name.

Interesting conjecture. Did anyone else notice that the timbre of the bin Laden tapes suggested a younger person? Who better to immitate bin Laden than his son and heir?

[TShaunK]

Bin There

[Schatze]

My favorites are the ones that say "Dead" in the Status column.

[Sacajaweau]

I think you're right. Bush did want to tell us something. Any of his references to terrorists was exceptionally brief.

[Sacajaweau]

His message was at 8:00 PM EST. It would be 4:00 AM in Afghanistan and we would still hold the night. I'd guess it went down SO CLOSE to the conference and because of security concerns and the possibility of his followers going insane, only a few know what has gone down.

SECURITY, SECURITY, SECURITY.

We're a patient people. I just hope he's dead and we can prove it by DNA.

[rwfromkansas]

If these were the younger sons, that would be the case.

HOWEVER, Saad is the HEIR to Al-Queda and so he knows a lot. Furthermore, Hamza is the son that is reportedly closes to OBL. Both were caught, not the insignificant little munchkins.

[rwfromkansas]

Well, both MAY have been caught. Quite frankly, I was under teh impression the U.S. vigorously denied this claim yesterday, but this article makes it sound like that is not so. I am not quite sure what the heck happened.

[VaBthang4]

"Responding to the claim, White House spokesman Ari Fleisher said: "We have no information to substantiate that report." However, he would not deny it."

That isnt an admission either. Things are happening quickly...and the media is way out ahead of the curve on this. Bedwetting Liberal excitement and VANITY as usual.

We'll get'em when we get'em. They need to calm the @$#& down.

[VaBthang4]

"How did bin Laden escape from his tomb at Tora Bora?"

From what I understand, an Al Quaeda soldiers was sent in one direction with a cell phone and a cassete player [with a tape of Bin Laden's voice recorded on it] and Bin Laden went the other direction.

The Al Qaeda soldier made many calls to Pakistan numbers using the cell phone and simply played the tape into the cell phone. As a result, the NSA intercepted the calls and determined that Bin Laden was using the phone and heading in a specific direction. All firepower was focused in that direction.

Could be exactly what is happening here. We'll see.

[VaBthang4]

"Just occurred to me Have we added any security to the Bush twins?"

I would think that with this President, the "A" & "B" teams are probably on both of them.

[section9]

Bin Wounded and Bin Captured.

I hate to steal somebody's humor, but I can't resist.

Anyhoo, I hear Bin Laden is so depressed he's been hanging out with his friends Bin Drinkin, Bin Fightin and Bin Whorin. Another Al Qaeda conspirator, Bin Workin, is nowhere to be seen.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[norton]

Dunno...
a preemptive strike would want to trump their hand.
Nothing in the GWB conference rose to that level.
I still wonder if he had other things in work that missed...
or were delayed.

As to #48: SOMETHING has changed in the BinLaden PR program.
A first generation stand-in with reason to shun face time is not at all out of the question.