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German newspaper claims Bin Laden captured.


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Saw this on another board....certainly an interesting read

German newspaper claims Bin Laden captured.

http://interestalert.com/brand/site...National%20News

BERLIN, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has been captured, Germany's Die Welt newspaper reported Thursday.

The newspaper, on its Web site, cited "unconfirmed reports" as the basis for its report.

Bin Laden is the Saudi dissident blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington that killed nearly 3,000 people. He was believed to be hiding along the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Copyright 2004 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

http://www.homelandsecurityus.com/

Rumor: OBL IN CUSTODY

22 January 2004; 1905 EST: UPDATE: We are aware of the denials issued by the United States Department of State and the reports of US denials carried by various news outlets such as Reuters that Osama bin Laden has not been captured. We became aware of the initial rumor of his capture at the time it began circulating earlier today, and we were fully aware of the official denial. We do have verifiable intelligence, however, of "unusual movements and activities" of special US forces in certain areas where bin Laden and al Zawahiri have reportedly been seen - however we will NOT disclose this information to avoid compromising the safety, welfare and special operations of our men and women of the military. According to two highly placed and credible human sources within the intelligence community, these movements are indeed related to a "HVT" (High Value Target) within al Qaeda. Our sources are firm in their assertions that there is a "significant advancement" in the ongoing war on terror.

Within the last six months, we could have issued reports that Osama bin Laden was captured by the Saudi's, by our own military task force, and even held by an opposing faction in Iran. As we were NOT able to verify this intelligence through credible human sources, that information never saw the light of day. This report, although denied by the US Department of State, appears to have much more validity than originally expected. Whether Osama bin Laden is the "HVT" and whether he is in custody remains to be seen.

We are following this matter closely and will report our findings as they are confirmed.

24 January 2004: On 22 January 2004, we first reported a story that the major press discounted as quickly as US officials denied the "rumor" that Osama bin Laden was in US custody. In the face of denials by the US, and "presuming" that such a large story could never be kept quiet, why would we even suggest that this "rumor" could be true?

We invite you to review some of the evidence that we collected here.

http://www.homelandsecurityus.com/OBLCustody.htm#TRAIL

The Trail of Evidence

1. 10 January 2004: A convoy of at least 30 trucks and other vehicles crossed the border from Iran (the location of the Kurdish Peshmergah) into northern Iraq. These vehicles were transporting warheads that were to be used in Iraq against US and coalition forces, specifically targeting our military command structure in Baghdad.

From this convoy, one vehicle was intercepted and was found to be carrying a warhead outfitted for a missile and containing extremely sophisticated C-4 plastic explosives. The driver of this transport vehicle was interrogated and was ultimately identified as an al Qaeda operative. During his interrogation, he admitted that he was part of a larger convoy transporting as many as 30 similarly outfitted warheads.

Based on the fruits of this interrogation, it was learned that perhaps as many as 29 warheads already made it across the border from Iran, and as many as a dozen of those warheads have already been assembled with the plastic explosives and the chemical and biological components. These warheads are then to be affixed to missile bodies with the intent of launching the assembled missiles at Baghdad, specifically against the Coalition Provisional Authority and the US command on site in Baghdad. If launched properly and exploded in the air, each missile would have the capability of killing an enormous number of people. This information about the missiles (or special rockets) is consistent with the posts and forum entries made by the followers of jihad and published on this site on 29 October 2003. (Note: While the rockets were intended for use during a "Ramadan offensive," it is well sourced that US forces readily destroyed many of these rockets and kept the terrorists busy enough to be unable to use the weapons according to their schedule).

Related: Monsoor Ijaz, Fox Analyst story: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,108371,00.html

2. 16-20 January 2004: Our military sources provided the Northeast Intelligence Network information that the al Qaeda operative who was first captured by the Kurds (who do not necessarily adhere to conventional interview and interrogation techniques) provided detailed information about the placement and location of other high level al Qaeda operatives inside Iran, Iraq and Pakistan.

3. Reported 20 January 2004: Five al Qaeda operatives captured in Karachi, one who is on the FBI's most wanted list of terrorists. Those arrested were CONFIRMED to be in direct contact with "a senior al Qaeda leader."

Source: http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jan2004-daily/20-01-2004/main/main17.htm

4. Reported 22 January 2004: Die Welt, a newspaper in Berlin, Germany published an "unconfirmed report" on its web site that Osama bin Laden had been captured. Source: US officials deny this rumor.

5. On 22 January 2004, the Northeast Intelligence Network was in contact with two intelligence sources and one military source who separately and independently verified that that a "major Special Ops grab and go mission" took place about 48 hours prior in the southern region of Iran, a place we would not normally like to admit we have been. A HVT (High Value Target) of al Qaeda was scooped by special forces and removed from Iran. The sources would not identify the "target," but refused to deny that it was bin Laden. We were advised that other al Qaeda captures have been and would continue to take place, many from new information obtained from recently captured al Qaeda sources.

6. Reported 23 January 2004: (Captured on or about 14-16 January 2004): US Forces capture Husam al Yemeni, a leader within Ansar al Islam, a terrorist organization linked directly to al Qaeda based in the Kurdistan area of Iraq. It is important to note that al Yemeni is the "right-hand man" of Abu ZARQAWI, who is known to have be closely associated with Osama bin Laden. ZARQAWI, still at large, specializes in chemical and biological weapons. This ties in with the missles and warheads transported from Iran into Iraq. Just who is Abu ZARQAWI?

7. 22 January 2004: Another Elusive Top al Qaeda Leader captured in Iraq: Hasan GUHL, called the "Gatekeeper" for al Qaeda, was captured in Iraq. Link to MSNBC Story.

Comments:

1. Note that the genesis for the most recent series of events appears to be the capture of the al Qaeda operative by the Kurds on or about 10 January 2004. Intelligence obtained from this operative reportedly led to additional arrests of higher ranking al Qaeda officials. Also note that this operative was traveling from Iran, where we have been reporting that bin Laden and al Zawahiri have been granted refuge.

2. Also note that al Yemeni was captured at least one week before his capture was announced by US officials. This time period provided interrogators enough time to obtain valuable data about the location of other terrorist operatives.

If True, Why Not Just Admit It?

Geopolitical factors in the region, relations between the US and Iran, and other factors are at stake here. As news of his capture could well accelerate terrorist events in the US and against our troops, it would only make sense for denials to be issued until we (the US) had time to tie up many loose ends in the political and military arena.

Osama bin Laden in Iran? Comprehensive articles written by Ryan Mauro:

Iran, Saddam and Osama: Follow-Up #1

Iran, Saddam and Osama: Follow-Up #2

Related:

Two al-Qaeda men may be handed over to US By Azfar-ul-Ashfaque

01/20/04

KARACHI: Some two of the five al-Qaeda men , held from a Gulistan-e-Jauhar apartment in a raid on Sunday, are likely to be handed over to the US

within the next two or three days, The News has learnt reliably.

"Out of the five arrested foreigners, two Arabs are very important and after completing our investigations, we will hand them over to the country,

which wants their custody," a senior Islamabad-based government official said on condition of anonymity.

Without naming the country, he said: "So far we have not found any evidence, regarding involvement of these foreigners in any subversive activities here. If any of them is involved in any terrorist activity here, we will deal with him as per the law of the land. Otherwise, we will hand them over to the custody of the country, where they were required."

He disclosed that so far only Pakistani security officials were interrogating the arrested men. "But they (the FBI agents) are also aware of the investigations and maybe they also join investigations with us," he added.

Declining to give the identities of any of the arrested men, including two Arabs, the official said: "Investigations are going on and at this stage I cannot disclose their identities. But we suspect that one of the five men may be on FBI’s most-wanted list." Sources said the women and children, who were also taken into custody, would be sent back to the country of their origin.

It is learnt that the arrested men were being interrogated by a joint interrogation team at an undisclosed location for ascertaining their links with local militants. However, an intelligence official told The News that one of the five arrested men was a close associate of Waleed al-Attash, the mastermind of USS Cole bombing and he had avoided arrest from a Korangi house, last year.

He said the arrested persons were also in contact with a senior al-Qaeda leader. Without naming the leader, the official said: "We believe that he is in Karachi and we are tightening the noose around him."

Interesting coincidence: Thursday, January 15, 2004; Lebanonese television airs a "spoof" newscast stating that bin Laden had been captured.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3424197.stm

23 January 2004: Related: Metals firm after Dollar slips - London Bullion Report

http://www.thebulliondesk.com/content/reports/jimmy/230104ldn.htm

An active Dollar kept the gold market busy yesterday as traders continue to monitor the greenback for signs of weakness. After seeing steady gains across the European session the yellow metal opened the COMEX session firmly, trading to an early high of $412.80. Upbeat US data and rumours of the capture of Osama Bin Laden quickly put the Dollar into a recovery. Gold soon came under pressure, trading to a low of $408 before recovering as the Dollar slipped. Gold closed the day at $409.75 after a recovery back to $412 as the Euro gained against the Dollar.

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Originally posted by optapessimist

If we do, indeed, have him and aren't bragging about it yet, I wouldn't expect to hear of his 'capture' until late-summer. Just in time to boost Dubya's approval rating before the election. ;)

I don't think so
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This is a remarkable statement, in light of the German report

U.S. military 'sure' of catching bin Laden this year

STEPHEN GRAHAM, Associated Press Writer

Thursday, January 29, 2004

©2004 Associated Press

URL: sfgate.com/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/01/29/international1522EST0673.DTL

(01-29) 12:22 PST KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) --

The U.S. military is "sure" it will catch Osama bin Laden this year, a spokesman said Thursday, but he declined to comment on where the al-Qaida leader may be hiding.

Bin Laden, chief suspect in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that sparked the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, is widely believed to be holed up somewhere along the mountainous Pakistani-Afghan border with former Taliban leader Mullah Omar.

Following last month's capture of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, American commanders in Afghanistan have expressed new optimism they will eventually find bin Laden. Spokesman Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty said the military now believed it could seize him within months.

"We have a variety of intelligence and we're sure we're going to catch Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar this year," Hilferty said. "We've learned lessons from Iraq and we're getting improved intelligence from the Afghan people."

Hilferty declined to comment on where exactly bin Laden or Mullah Omar might be hiding, but his optimism coincides with comments from U.S. officials in Washington that the military is planning a spring offensive against Taliban and al-Qaida holdouts.

American forces are pinning hopes for better intelligence from locals on new security teams setting up in provincial capitals across a swath of troubled southern and eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border.

The security teams are supposed to open the way for millions of dollars in U.S. development aid and allow the Afghan government to regain control over lawless areas largely populated by ethnic Pashtuns, from which the Taliban drew their main support.

This month alone, about 70 people have died in violence, including two international peacekeepers killed by suicide bombers in the relatively peaceful capital, Kabul. The Taliban claimed responsibility for those attacks.

The spring offensive touted by U.S. defense officials Wednesday would come just when the new security teams are supposed to be up and running, and warmer weather opens the high passes through which insurgents slip.

Hilferty declined to comment on the proposed plans, saying he could not talk about future operations.

Pakistani officials said Thursday they would not allow American forces to use their territory for any new offensive.

"As a matter of fact they (the United States) have not contacted us for this purpose," said Brig. Javed Iqbal Cheema, a senior Pakistani security official who coordinates with U.S. counterparts on counterterrorism.

An intelligence official said Pakistani authorities also had no specific information about bin Laden's whereabouts.

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, a key U.S. ally, would face withering criticism from political opponents, particularly Islamic hard-liners controlling two key border provinces, if American forces were deployed inside Pakistan.

Pakistan says it has arrested more than 500 al-Qaida men over the past two years and many of them have been handed over to the United States.

In January, Pakistani forces raided a border village where al-Qaida fighters were believed to be hiding. The interior minister said 18 suspected terrorists were captured, but he did not identify them.

The area is close to the Afghan provinces of Paktika and Khost, regions where the U.S. military says bin Laden loyalists are active.

The 11,000-strong U.S.-led force hunting insurgents includes about 500 soldiers stationed at Khost airport and more troops at two smaller bases in Paktika. All three regularly come under fire.

©2004 Associated Press

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Further update from the same site. Seems like some speculation, but still interesting:

29 January 2004-- Analysis by Sean Osborne: It's connect-a-dot time...

I think there is a valid and logical reason for a State Department denial of the Osama capture reports. I think State spoke up because they are in active negotiations with Iran over this issue, either via a second party's "good offices" or directly with the Iranians. This has the potential to make such contact an absolute necessity. The US State Department would have to become involved due to PROTOCOL if Osama were in fact captured on Iranian territory.

Next series of dots...

With the immediate and multiple threats of an al Qaeda nuclear attack and/or other weapons of mass destruction on US soil, the ramifications for Iran would be horrendous to say the least. (a potential retaliatory US ICBM strike or similar against Tehran for example would be in keeping with US nuclear or WMD use policy).

al Qaeda weapons have been intercepted by Coalition troops in Iraq having crossed the frontier from Iran. These weapons include highly sophisticated C4 and explosives combined with chemical warheads.

So, what COULD be the State Department be discussing with the Iranians regarding Osama's capture, if he is in custody?

All of the above. Osama captured in Iranian territory. Massive chemical weapons coming from Iranian territory, and the very real possibility of a nuclear strike or the destruction of an American city at the hands of al Qaeda...all of this with Iranian duplicity would tend to indicate that State is TELLING the Iranians in no uncertain terms that they MUST comply and act to stop any al Qaeda actions against the US homeland, and US forces in the southwest Asia area of operations.

Failure to do so will result in the immediate retaliation against Iran by the strategic nuclear forces of the United States. We will hold Iran responsible for any further actions by al Qaeda against the United States or its allies. Period and exclamation point.

While these hypothesized "discussions" are ongoing, officially the US will be mum on the capture of Osama within Iranian territory. The Iranian's are being offered a political carrot with the threat of a nuclear stick should they fail their obligations as a civilized nation.

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