Bin Laden Captured? Hmmmm

[Junior44]

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's state radio, quoting an unnamed source, said Saturday that Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) was captured in Pakistan "a long time ago." U.S. and Pakistani officials denied the report.



The report said that U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's visit to the region this week was in connection with the arrest. In Washington, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied early Saturday that bin Laden was captured.


The report was carried by Iran radio's external Pushtun service. The director of Iran radio's Pushtun service, Asheq Hossein, said he had two sources for the report that bin Laden had been captured.


A Pakistani military operation has been under way in the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan (news - web sites), and a Pakistani official said previously that members of al-Qaida are being sought there, although bin laden was not a specific target.


Pakistani Army spokesman Gen. Shaukat Sultan also told The Associated Press that the report was not true. "That information is wrong," he said.


Speaking to the AP in Tehran, Hossein identified one of the sources as "Shamim Shahed, editor" of the English-language Pakistani newspaper The Nation in Peshawar. Hossein said Shahed told him Friday night that bin Laden was arrested "a long time ago."


But Shahed, who is The Nation's Peshawar bureau chief and not its editor, denied telling the Iranian radio station that bin Laden had been captured.


"I never said this," Shahed said in a telephone interview with the AP's Islamabad bureau. "But I have for the last year been saying that he is not far away. He is within their (the Americans') reach, and they can declare him arrested any time."


Shahed gave no evidence to back up that claim.


Hossein said he had a second source for his report that bin Laden had been captured, but he declined to identify him except to say he was "a man with close links to intelligence services and Afghan tribal leaders."


Iranian state radio quoted its reporter as saying the arrest happened a long time ago.


"Osama bin Laden has been arrested a long time ago, but Bush is intending to use it for propaganda maneuvering in the presidential election," he said.


Homayoun Jarir, son-in-law of Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, said he could not confirm the report.

 

[bjfinste]

Re: Bin Laden Captured? Hmmmm

"Osama bin Laden has been arrested a long time ago, but Bush is intending to use it for propaganda maneuvering in the presidential election," he said.

Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Bush pulled that shit if they actually did have him. Although I certainly can't say I'd be the slightest bit upset if they really do have that scumbag.

 

[AR182]

U.S., Pakistan Deny Bin Laden Was Captured

Saturday, Feb. 28, 2004

TEHRAN, Iran -- Pentagon and Pakistani officials on Saturday denied an Iranian state radio report that Osama bin Laden was captured in Pakistan's border region with Afghanistan "a long time ago."
The claim came as Pakistan's army hunted terror suspects in a remote tribal region along the border, believed to be a possible hiding place for the al-Qaida's leader.

The director of Iran radio's Pashtun language service, Asheq Hossein, said the report was based on two sources -- one of whom later told The Associated Press he was misquoted.

The report said bin Laden had been in custody for a period of time, but that President Bush was withholding any announcement until closer to November elections.

"Osama bin Laden has been arrested a long time ago, but Bush is intending to use it for propaganda maneuvering in the presidential election," the radio report said.

Pakistani officials have denied knowing bin Laden's exact whereabouts, although there have been reports that military forces believe they know his general location and had him encircled.

The state radio report, quoting an unidentified source, said U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's visit to the region this week was in connection with bin Laden's arrest.

Larry Di Rita, the chief Pentagon spokesman who traveled with Rumsfeld this week to Afghanistan, denied the report. "I don't have any reason to think it's true," he said Saturday.

Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, also said he had no information to suggest bin Laden had been caught.

"Things are going well, and we believe we will eventually catch all the leaders of al-Qaida, but I know nothing of that report," he said.

Pakistani Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed called the report "baseless." "We have neither arrested Osama nor have we any information about him," he told AP.

Pakistani Army spokesman Gen. Shaukat Sultan also said the report was not true. "That information is wrong," he said.

Speaking to AP in Tehran, the radio director identified one of the sources for the report as Shamim Shahed, whom was identified as editor of the English-language Pakistani newspaper The Nation. Hossein said Shahed told him Friday night that bin Laden was arrested "a long time ago."

But Shahed, who is The Nation's Peshawar bureau chief and not its editor, denied telling Iranian radio that bin Laden had been captured.

"I never said this," Shahed said in a telephone interview with AP's Islamabad bureau. "But I have for the last year been saying that he is not far away. He is within their (the Americans') reach, and they can declare him arrested any time."

"I have been misquoted. On this matter, we never talked, the last two months. I'm angry, because they've misquoted me," Shahed said in a separate interview with AP Radio.

Hossein said he had a second source for the report but declined to identify him other than as "a man with close links to intelligence services and Afghan tribal leaders."

The report was carried by Iran radio's external Pashtun service, which is designed for listeners in Afghanistan and Pakistan where the language is widely spoken.

Iran state radio's main news channel -- the Farsi-language service for Iranian listeners -- did not carry the bin Laden report, nor did Iran state television.

The Iranian news agency IRNA was first to report the capture of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. IRNA also carried the state radio report about bin Laden's capture and said it had contacted a radio announcer at the Pashtun service who confirmed the news.

? 2004 Associated Press.

 

[djv]

Either BTJIM OR KOD had this nailed several weeks ago. One or the other did say it's a election year. And Bin woud be brought out in the open by March or April. Witchever one said that is looking correct.
What I dont get is why the heat on Bin now. I mean every paper and TV news has same story. Hunt for Bin Intensifies. Maybe it is about the election year. I mean we should have been after him with all we had for last three years. We should have had him as fast as we did Saddam. What that take 7/8 months. Some you guys had this all down pat. I hope your wrong I don't want Bush to stoop this low.

 

[THE KOD]

djv

It was me that said it. Still don't know if its true but Iran was
the first to report Saddam was captured. Remember they
get their information from terrorists and they should know.

I would say they have him trapped in a mountain
hideout awaiting word to go in and get him dead or alive.

Timing is everything in a election year.

Thanks for putting me in the same breath as
that idiot btj.


KOD

 

[freelancc]

Thanks for putting me in the same breath as
that idiot btj.

:lol: :lol:

 

[THE KOD]

What I dont get is why the heat on Bin now. I mean every paper and TV news has same story. Hunt for Bin Intensifies. Maybe it is about the election year. I mean we should have been after him with all we had for last three years. We should have had him as fast as we did Saddam. What that take 7/8 months. Some you guys had this all down pat. I hope your wrong I don't want Bush to stoop this low.

...................................................................

djv

stoop this low ? So you are going to blame Bush if we can
capture or kill Bin laden ? Its almost laughable.

We have been previously occupied taking out Saddam and his henchmen. Some of the worst killers on the planet. We have
been busy building schools and trying to get them to give peace a chance with freedom for all people even the woman.

George W Bush is counting on if he gets Bin laden, he will be re-elected.

Why ? Because the majority of Americans will feel safer.

The American people will landslide his ass back in 4 more years for a just reward.

You say we should have had Bin laden by now.

Bin laden has money and alot of it.

He runs in a circle of people that the best intelligence knows nothing about. They are dangerous to even average Americans.

If he could have hit us again right here in America he has tried believe that much. And if that happens George will be in trouble.
So circle the wagons. Trap him in a cave somewhere. And
let him decide how he wants to die.

KOD

 

[djv]

You know what I was saying. If you have him stop the game and bring it out in the open. Sorry if it's to soon and the info would be cold by election day. I don't think they have him. Because I don"t think Bush is that dump to try and fool us. We been fooled already about Iraq.

 

[ctownguy]

Once again djv has his head up his :moon:

 

[djv]

Thats how I know all about this chit. And can help teach you because your head been stuck in your ass a long time. Well for the 15 years you been a live anyway. Remember to get to bed early tonight so your not late for high school. Or are you still stuck in 8th grade.