Bin Laden's followers have found refuge in northern Iraq

SJ Mercury News ^ | 2/3/03 | Jonathan S. Landay - Knight Ridder

[NormsRevenge]

SHINERWE MOUNTAIN, Iraq - Along with Baghdad and the oil fields of Kirkuk, a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq could sweep into the slopes and valleys off in the distance in front of Sarkawt Abdullah's hilltop mortar pit.

"Those people are from Tora Bora," said the Kurdish fighter, gesturing at bunkers on nearby ridges and recalling the mountain bastion in Afghanistan from which Osama bin Laden and many of his loyalists escaped a U.S.-led siege just over a year ago.

[weikel]

Northern Iraq is the Kurdish area not really under Saddam's direct control. The Kurds are being as stupid as the Pallies if they are harboring Al Qaeda.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Kurdish commanders have been unable to dislodge the militants because they lack enough heavy weapons, local politics make the situation complex, and the rough terrain is strewn with mines.

That doesn't indicate the Kurds are harboring them. They just don't have the wherewithall to attack those strongholds and seek our help.

[hoot2]

"dozens of bin Laden's fugitive followers, most of them Arabs, have found a refuge with a militant group"

followers??? did he lead them there?
hey, where is that "sissy...bin laden?"
hey you coward islamic pervert...
c'mon out n fight like a man...

probably prefers the "company" of little boys...

[BlackVeil]

That is indeed it - this is not Sadaam's area - was removed from his control after the Gulf War. Since then, it has been divided between two Kurdish factions. I note, in that article, that they say that Ansar can't be dislodged by the Kurds because they don't have heavy weapons and local politics make it 'complicated.'

Hmmm. I believe that Ansar is yet another Kurdish faction. No doubt linked to al-Quaida. Their appearance in 'our' area is a taste of things to come in Iraq. Just because you subsidize people, that doesn't make them grateful - or stable, peaceful, etc.

[weikel]

I agree im pessimistic that removing anti fundamentalist Saddam will achieve any positive goals towards stopping the Wahabbi cult. I'd rather strike Islamic terrorism at its source Saudi Arabia and Shia Fundamentalist Iran.

[eno_]

Or, this might be a disinformation campaign to lure AQ people into a place that is away from any nation's protection, and will get bombed to smithereens without anyone watching or counting bodies.