Robert Gates, Mike Mullen To Bin Laden Raid Leakers: Stop Talking

First Posted: 05/18/11 02:59 PM ET Updated: 05/18/11 02:59 PM ET 
 

Gossip and unauthorized leaks from U.S. officials, politicians and retired military officers about the highly classified raid to kill Osama bin Laden have jeopardized the ability of special forces to carry out similar operations in the future, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
"Too many people in too many places are talking too much about this operation," Gates said, adding that the level of disclosures and blabbing violates an agreement reached in the White House Situation Room on May 8 to keep details of the raid private.
"That lasted about 15 hours," Gates said sourly.
The cascade of details surfacing about the highly classified event makes similar operations in the future "that much more difficult and riskier," Gates told reporters at a Pentagon briefing Wednesday.
"It is time to stop talking," agreed Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In a pointed directive to officials, politicians and the retired military officers often featured on cable news programs, he added, "Get off the net."
Members of the Navy SEAL team that tore into bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan and killed the 9/11 mastermind had expressed concern to Gates about the safety of their families after the team had been identified publicly and officials from the White House, the Pentagon and Congress widely discussed the operation.
In a meeting with hundreds of Marines at Camp Lejeune last week, Gates acknowledged such concerns. He said the Defense Department had mounted "a consistent and effective effort" to protect the identities of those who participated in the raid.

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"We are very concerned about the security of our families -- of your families and our troops, and also these elite units that are engaged in things like that," Gates told the Marines.
"And without getting into any details, I would tell you that when I met with the team last Thursday, they expressed a concern about that, and particularly with respect to their families," he added. "And so we're -- I -- as you say, I can't get into the details in this forum, but we are looking at what measures can be taken to pump up the security."
White House National Security Adviser Tom Donilon initially disclosed sketchy details of the raid they day after it happened. But more information poured forth from Capitol Hill after members of Congress were briefed on the operation and as retired SEALs and others began explaining tactical details. Much of the information published was credited to unnamed officials.
Officials and politicians have discussed the "stealth" helicopter that the SEALs were forced to leave behind after it malfunctioned over bin Laden’s compound and the use of "stealth" drones that watched the compound for weeks before the raid, unseen by Pakistani air defense facilities. Leakers have also disclosed details of how the SEALs had planned to storm the compound, the back-up plan once the helicopter malfunctioned, and other tactical pieces of information.
"We have gotten to a point where we are close to jeopardizing the precision capability that we have, and we can’t afford to do that," Mullen told reporters. "This fight isn’t over."

Barack Obama to back Middle East democracy with billions in aid

Barak Obama pledges cash to support Egypt and Tunisia after criticism US has been too slow to support uprisings

Barack Obama will use his speech as an attempt to reposition the US as champion of newly-emerging Arab democracies. Photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Barack Obama is to announce that the United States and the west will pour billions of dollars into the Middle East in support of Egypt, Tunisia and other countries embracing democracy, a move the White House portrayed as being on the scale of aid to former communist countries after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Speaking in Washington, the president will attempt to reposition the US as a champion of the newly-emerging Arab democracies. His speech comes amid criticism that the US has been too slow to support the uprisings, and has adopted contradictory approaches in its dealings with different countries. It is his most important speech on the Middle East since Cairo in 2009, when he called for a new beginning in relations between the US and the Muslim world. The support for Obama in the Arab world in 2009 has since dropped sharply. The speech will deal mainly with the Arab spring, hailing the benefits of democracy and respect for human rights, in spite of America's long-time support for authoritarian regimes in the region. Senior Obama administration officials, briefing on the speech, said he will take a fresh look at the Middle East after a decade of tension and division. With the winding down of the Iraq war and the death of Osama bin Laden, "we are turning a page", one official said, adding that the democracy movements reinforced this. The official suggested that the best way to support democracy was through economic reform, and drew comparisons with the massive injection of American aid to Europe after the war, and with the support given to central and eastern Europe in 1989. The US is to relieve Egypt of up to $1bn in debt and lend or guarantee up to $1bn. The World Bank, the IMF and other multilateral institutions to provide a further $2bn-3bn. The official described Tunisia and Egypt as beacons, models to encourage others to pursue democracy. "It is the beginning of a long-term effort," an official said. The speech is expected to last 45 minutes, a long one by Obama's standards. He is to devote a big portion to castigating countries such as Iran and Syria. The US Treasury announced sanctions on Wednesday targeted for the first time at Syria's president Bashar al-Assad over the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. Six other Syrian officials were also added to the sanctions list. "The actions the administration has taken today send an unequivocal message to President Assad, the Syrian leadership, and regime insiders that they will be held accountable for the ongoing violence and repression in Syria," said David Cohen, the acting Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. The European Union on Tuesday imposed fresh sanctions against Syria but did not include Assad. The US assets freeze on Assad is mainly symbolic as the Syrian leader has few assets in the country but it is a sign the US has lost patience with a president it once hoped might initiate reforms. The US is facing criticism for engaging in military action to bring down the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, but refusing to become sucked into similar action in Syria. It has also faced criticism for being slow to cut ties with traditional US allies such as the former Egyptian ruler Hosni Mubarak. The US issued only a mild rebuke over the violent suppression by another ally, Bahrain, of pro-democracy protesters. Obama's speech comes after intensive debate within the White House between those arguing that the US should be at the forefront of the democracy movement, and those whose concern is US national security and protection of oil supplies. The few billion dollars proposed so far is not comparable to the vast sums the US sent to Europe after 1945, and some of it has already been announced by the World Bank and the IMF. Obama will next week urge the leaders of the G8 rich countries to provide aid when he meets them at a European summit. On Tuesday, Obama pledged several hundred millions of dollars in aid to King Abdullah of Jordan, even though that country has not been at the forefront of the democracy movement. This could raise questions about the value of the billions of dollars to Egypt and Tunisia as incentives to the democracy movement. The White House spokesman, Jay Carney, said that the president saw a historic moment of opportunity. "In the last decade, our focus in the region was largely on Iraq, which was a military effort, and on the hunt for Osama bin Laden and the fight against al -Qaida," Carney told reporters. "That fight against al-Qaida continues, but there is an opportunity in that region to focus on advancing our values and enhancing our security, and that's what the president looks forward to discussing in his speech." As part of the attempt to portray the US as fully behind the reform movement, the White House yesterday released details of a call between John Brennan, a White House adviser on national security, and President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen, urging him to sign a political agreement that would allow Yemen "to move forward immediately with its political transition". Obama will also express his continued hopes for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. He will discuss the issue with the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, at the White House tomorrow, and is to address the conference of the Israeli lobbying organisation Aipac on Sunday before leaving for Ireland and Britain. A poll published on Tuesday by the Washington-based Pew organisation found that President Obama remains unpopular among countries polled in the Middle East and elsewhere in the Muslim world, except Indonesia.

Terror EXCLUSIVE: Al Qaeda Leader Dined at the Pentagon Just Months After 9/11

Anwar Al-Awlaki may be the first American on the CIA's kill or capture list, but he was also a lunch guest of military brass at the Pentagon within months of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, Fox News has learned. 

Documents exclusively obtained by Fox News, including an FBI interview conducted after the Fort Hood shooting in November 2009, state that Awlaki was taken to the Pentagon as part of the military’s outreach to the Muslim community in the immediate aftermath of the attacks. 

The incident was flagged by a current Defense Department employee who came forward and told investigators she helped arrange the meeting after she saw Awlaki speak in Alexandria, Va. 

The employee "attended this talk and while she arrived late she recalls being impressed by this imam. He condemned Al Qaeda and the terrorist attacks. During his talk he was 'harassed' by members of the audience and suffered it well," reads one document. 

According to the documents, obtained as part of an ongoing investigation by the specials unit "Fox News Reporting," there was a push within the Defense Department to reach out to the Muslim community.

Related Video

Exclusive: Al-Awlaki Dined at Pentagon in Months After 9/11

Terrorist dined with military brass?

Oct. 2008: American-born Al Qaeda-linked cleric Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen.

"At that period in time, the secretary of the Army (redacted) was eager to have a presentation from a moderate Muslim." 

In addition, Awlaki "was considered to be an 'up and coming' member of the Islamic community. After her vetting, Aulaqi (Awlaki) was invited to and attended a luncheon at the Pentagon in the secretary of the Army's Office of Government Counsel." 

Awlaki, a Yemeni-American who was born in Las Cruces, N.M., was interviewed at least four times by the FBI in the first week after the attacks because of his ties to the three hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Hani Hanjour. The three hijackers were all onboard Flight 77 that slammed into the Pentagon. 

Awlaki is now believed to be hiding in Yemen after he was linked to the alleged Ft. Hood shooter Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who e-mailed Awlaki prior to the attack. 

Sources told Fox News that Awlaki, who is a former Muslim chaplain at George Washington University, met with the Christmas Day bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in Yemen and was the middle-man between the young Nigerian and the bombmaker. Awlaki was also said to inspire would-be Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad. 

Apparently, none of the FBI's information about Awlaki was shared with the Pentagon. Former Army Secretary Tommy White, who led the Army in 2001, said he doesn't have any recollection of the luncheon or any contact with Awlaki. 

"If this was a luncheon at the Office of Government Counsel, I would not necessarily be there," he said. 

The Pentagon has offered no explanation of how a man, now on the CIA kills or capture list, ended up at a special lunch for Muslim outreach.

After repeated requests for comment on the vetting process beginning on October 13th, an Army spokesman insisted Wednesday that the lunch was not an Army event. "The Army has found no evidence that the Army either sponsored or participated in the event described in this report," spokesman Thomas Collins said.

Collins also noted that the FBI document referred to the “Office of Government Counsel” but should read “Office of General Counsel.”

Collins said he believed the event was sponsored by the office of the Secretary of Defense. A spokeswoman there said she would look into it and get back to Fox News.

A former high-ranking FBI agent told Fox News that at the time Awlaki went to lunch at the Pentagon, there was tremendous "arrogance" about the vetting process at the Pentagon. 

"They vetted people politically and showed indifference toward security and intelligence advice of others," the former agent said.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/10/20/al-qaeda-terror-leader-dined-pentagon-months/#ixzz1MmNWVJA7

No Proof Senior Pakistani Officials Knew Bin Laden Whereabouts, Gates Says

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he has seen no evidence that Pakistan’s senior leaders knew Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts before the U.S. raid on his compound.
Gates said he isn’t sure about lower-level or retired officials.
“I have seen no evidence at all that the senior leadership knew,” Gates told reporters at a Pentagon briefing. “In fact, I’ve seen some evidence to the contrary.”
Gates said it will take time to determine if any lower- ranking officials knew. “My supposition is, somebody knew,” he said.
Whether Pakistani government and intelligence officials shielded bin Laden has become an issue on Capitol Hill, where some senators have called for postponing any more U.S. financial aid until Pakistan’s commitment to fighting terrorism can be re- evaluated.
Gates opposed the idea of seeking retaliatory measures against Pakistan without evidence of Pakistani government officials’ complicity.
“If the senior leadership in Pakistan didn’t know, it’s hard to hold them accountable for it,” Gates said.
Gates said his “supposition” is that somebody, possibly retired Pakistani or low-level officials, knew of bin Laden’s whereabouts. Even so, he said, “it’s hard to go to them with an accusation when we have no proof that anybody knew.”
He said Pakistani leaders have already “paid a price” because they have been “humiliated” by the U.S. raid.

‘Price Paid’

“We have to recognize that they see a cost in that and a price that has been paid,” he said.
Gates, who plans to step down in July, also pushed back on congressional pleas to cut or postpone financial aid to Pakistan. President Barack Obama has proposed giving $1.2 billion to Pakistan next year, partly for counter-insurgency training for its military.
“We have to proceed with some caution,” Gates said. “We do have significant interests in Pakistan.”
He added, “We need to continue the assistance that we have provided.”
Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also voiced concern that too many U.S. government officials -- and retired military -- have revealed details of the raid that resulted in bin Laden’s death.
Since the initial government briefings on the raid, officials in and out of government have described the operation, including details of the SEALs’ equipment and how the CIA spied on the compound.
“We have talked far too much about this,” Mullen said. “We need to move on. It’s a story that, if we don’t stop talking, it will never end, and it needs to.”
Leaked details of the raid have “gotten to a point where we are close to jeopardizing this precious capability that we have, and we can’t afford to do that. This fight isn’t over.”
To contact the reporter on this story: David Lerman in Washington at Dlerman1@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva at msilva34@bloomberg.net.

Cameras Banned in White House Daily Briefings.They Can Watch Us But We Can Not Watch them?

What is going on at the White House? First, Obama announces that he will no longer provide 'staged' news photos for reporters. Then, today it was announced that the White House will 'go dark,' that is, the press today was barred from live-casting the daily news briefings provided by Press Secretary Jay Carney.
Increasingly the White House is distancing itself from news reporters, withholding vital information from the press and the public, and essentially dictating to the media when and where they are allowed to video or take pictures of the President.
In what was supposed to be 'the most transparent Administration in history,' the Obama Administration has increasingly miffed reporters, leaving them totally in the dark concerning the decision-making process, with former Press Secretary Robert Gibbs declaring curtly, 'Some things should not be done in publc view,' meaning of course that this White House and this President have become perhaps the most closed and hidden Administration in history.
The new tactic of placing broad distance between the President and news gathering entities is cause for concern. Red flags are going off in the heads of liberty-oriented citizens who see danger in the growing reluctance of the Administration to provide the public critical information concerning its actions.
It has become common knowledge among observers of the Administration that much goes on in the shadows, away from public knowledge, in what is known as 'the shadow government.' With Obama this entails not only billionaire movers and shakers who share his vision for a new world order but outright Marxists who give the President advice on a regular basis. The Cabinet has been rendered useless in this regime. Instead Obama relies on 'czars' and unpopular rejects from the White House staff who officially resigned under pressure from the public but still feed Obama information on policy initiatives. These persons include Van Jones, Cass Sunstein, John Holdren, Valerie Jarrett, and Samantha Power--the wife of Sunstein who is now directing foreign policy in the Middle East and is widely viewed as the master-mind behind the push to allow Muslim extremist groups to come to power in Egypt and other nations in the region, and who reportedly is rabidly anti-Israel.
But now the White House has begun to choke off news stories that were previously allowed.

one observer says this tactic is being used to save the Obama Administration from some major embarrassments:

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney today turned off the briefing room lights to address reporters in an unusual off camera gaggle, taking some of the spotlight off the White House as its senior Middle East peace negotiator resigns and questions arise over whether too much information has come out about the SEAL 6 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden.
Beyond that, Carney may be a bit weary. He’s briefed on camera three times this week already, and he edgily noted as he departed today’s gaggle that he had to cut the 11:35 am session short because he had a “a 12 o’clock meeting with one of my many bosses.”
Carney would not confirm the then-breaking news that Middle East envoy George Mitchell, who was at the White House, was there to tender his resignation. But Carney didn’t deny it and said a written presidential statement would be released shortly.
The decision to hold the off-camera gaggle just before releasing news of the Mitchell resignation is consistent with a clear White House strategy to low-key the departure.

But the issue goes much deeper than an embarrassing resignation. The White House also this week issued this interesting piece of information. 
Such a practice of limiting reporter photos and videos, using the explanation given by the White House, appears to be no big deal. But when taken together with other numerous run-ins with the press that have characterized this Administration, citizens have every right to be wary.
A free press is central to a free republic. It is a protected first amendment right. And this White House has often shown little regard for the concept--unless Obama is presented in a positive light.

Continue reading on Examiner.com: White House bans cameras at daily news briefing - National Conservative | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/conservative-in-national/white-house-bans-cameras-at-daily-news-briefing?fb_comment=33144131#ixzz1MmJMOYlp

Osama Bin Laden not Killed at Pakistan!!!

Osama Bin Laden Was Not Killed By the US Government…Evidenced Research Shows!!!

OSAMA/OBAMA

Osama bin Laden: A dead nemesis perpetuated by the US government!

It was only a matter of time before the criminal terrorists in the United States government decided that it was time to claim that they had finally killed Osama Bin Laden. His reported death is nothing more than a staged psychological warfare operation designed to aid Barack Obama’s credibility as President and to make the claim that progress in this fake terror war is being made.
In reality, Bin Laden required the use of a kidney dialysis machine right around the time of the September 11th attacks and there were even reports of his death around the same time frame. All of the major Bin Laden videos that were either found or released after the September 11th attacks were criticized as fakes.
This includes the infamous fat Bin Laden tape that was allegedly found in Jalalabad Afghaninstan following the American lead invasion that appears to show an actor playing the role of Bin Laden claiming that he was behind the September 11th attacks.

The evidence for my research was majorly through a vigilant and vibrant press agents (some of them are still under the DDOS attack i.e Distributed Denial of Service, for revealing authentic reports). Starting just moments before President Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden, one of the website was hit with what the hosting company described as a massive distributed denial of service attack that is still ongoing.
al-Wafd, Wednesday, December 26, 2001 Vol 15 No 4633 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY(COMPLETE PHOTOSHOP, can you notice the difference?)!

Osama bin Laden: A dead nemesis perpetuated by the US government!

ON MAY 1, 2011, JUST MOMENTS BEFORE PRESIDENT OBAMA ANNOUNCED THAT THE US HAD KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE WEBITE CAME UNDER MASSIVE DISTRIBUTED DENIAL OF SERVICE ATTACK. THE WEBSITE HAD EARLIER DOCUMENTS THAT OSAMA BIN LADEN ACTUALLY DIED IN DECEMBER OF 2001, APPEARS TO BE WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE DIDN'T WANT AVAILABLE WHILE THE NEW PROPAGANDA WAS "CATAPULTED FORWARD". IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS THE OPENING GAMBIT IN A PLAN TO STAGE A "REVENGE" ATTACK FROM "AL QAEDA" ON THE UNITED STATES, WITH WHICH TO JUSTIFY TOTAL WAR ON THE MIDDLE EAST. PLEASE SCROLL GENTLY AND LOOK THROUGH THE EVIDENCES OF THIS REPORT.

Note: Bin Laden's voice was detected regularly until [14 December 2001] by intelligence operatives monitoring radio transmissions in Tora Bora, according to the Pentagon [details]. Since then, nothing has been heard from the al-Qa'eda leader and President Bush has hinted in private that bin Laden's silence could mean he has been killed. [Telegraph, 12/28/2001]

Osama bin Laden is dead. The news first came from sources in Afghanistan and Pakistan almost six months ago: the fugitive died in December [2001] and was buried in the mountains of southeast Afghanistan. Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, echoed the information. The remnants of Osama's gang, however, have mostly stayed silent, either to keep Osama's ghost alive or because they have no means of communication.

The New York Times, In an Opinion report by Amir Taheri, Published: July 11, 2002 stated:
“Osama bin Laden is dead. The news first came from sources in Afghanistan and Pakistan almost six months ago: the fugitive died in December and was buried in the mountains of southeast Afghanistan. Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, echoed the information. The remnants of Osama's gang, however, have mostly stayed silent, either to keep Osama's ghost alive or because they have no means of communication.
With an ego the size of Mount Everest, Osama bin Laden would not have, could not have, remained silent for so long if he were still alive. He always liked to take credit even for things he had nothing to do with. Would he remain silent for nine months and not trumpet his own survival?
Even if he is still in the world, bin Ladenism has left for good. Mr. bin Laden was the public face of a brand of politics that committed suicide in New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001, killing thousands of innocent people in the process. Click Here To View.
Or you go direct here: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/11/opinion/11TAHE.html?ex=1089432000&en=373a282aeff2716a&ei=5070&todaysheadlines

FOX News Report: Bin Laden Already Dead

In a report on Wednesday, December 26, 2001, stated:

Usama bin Laden has died a peaceful death due to an untreated lung complication, the Pakistan Observer reported, citing a Taliban leader who allegedly attended the funeral of the Al Qaeda leader.
"The Coalition troops are engaged in a mad search operation but they would never be able to fulfill their cherished goal of getting Usama alive or dead," the source said.
Bin Laden, according to the source, was suffering from a serious lung complication and succumbed to the disease in mid-December, in the vicinity of the Tora Bora mountains. The source claimed that bin Laden was laid to rest honorably in his last abode and his grave was made as per his Wahabi belief.
About 30 close associates of bin Laden in Al Qaeda, including his most trusted and personal bodyguards, his family members and some "Taliban friends," attended the funeral rites. A volley of bullets was also fired to pay final tribute to the "great leader."
The Taliban source who claims to have seen bin Laden's face before burial said "he looked pale ... but calm, relaxed and confident."

Asked whether bin Laden had any feelings of remorse before death, the source vehemently said "no." Instead, he said, bin Laden was proud that he succeeded in his mission of igniting awareness amongst Muslims about hegemonistic designs and conspiracies of "pagans" against Islam. Bin Laden, he said, held the view that the sacrifice of a few hundred people in Afghanistan was nothing, as those who laid their lives in creating an atmosphere of resistance will be adequately rewarded by Almighty Allah.

When asked where bin Laden was buried, the source said, "I am sure that like other places in Tora Bora, that particular place too must have vanished." Click Here To View.
Or you go to: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,41576,00.html
More so, Bin Laden has often been reported to be in poor health. Some accounts claim that he is suffering from Hepatitis C, and can expect to live for only two more years. According to Le Figaro, In the year 2000 he ordered a mobile dialysis machine to be delivered to his base at Kandahar in Afghanistan. Click Here or go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/nov/01/afghanistan.terrorism

Peter Bergen: Bin Laden has aged 'enormously'

This is a man who was clearly not well. I mean, as you see from these pictures here, he's really, by December [2001] he's looking pretty terrible.
Bin Laden December 27, 2001 video	Healthy bin Laden
But by December, of course, that tape that was aired then, he's barely moving the left side of his body. So he's clearly got diabetes. He has low blood pressure. He's got a wound in his foot. He's apparently got dialysis ... for kidney problems. [CNN] The [December 27, 2001 video] was dismissed by the Bush administration ... as sick propaganda possibly designed to mask the fact the al-Qa'eda leader was already dead. "He could have made the video and then ordered that it be released in the event of his death," said one White House aide. [Telegraph]

Pakistan's Musharraf: Bin Laden probably dead

In a CNN report on January 18, 2002 Posted: 10:34 PM EST (0334 GMT), it was stated that:

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's president says he thinks Osama bin Laden is most likely dead because the suspected terrorist has been unable to get treatment for his kidney disease.
"I think now, frankly, he is dead for the reason he is a ... kidney patient," Gen. Pervez Musharraf said on Friday in an interview with CNN.
Musharraf said Pakistan knew bin Laden took two dialysis machines into Afghanistan. "One was specifically for his own personal use," he said.
"I don't know if he has been getting all that treatment in Afghanistan now. And the photographs that have been shown of him on television show him extremely weak. ... I would give the first priority that he is dead and the second priority that he is alive somewhere in Afghanistan."

Go to: http://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/south/01/18/gen.musharraf.binladen/

Note: Renal dialysis -- talking about hemodialysis -- is something that really is reserved for patients in end-stage renal failure. That means their kidneys have just completely shut down. The most common cause of something like that would be something like diabetes and hypertension. Once that's happened, if you're separated from your dialysis machine -- and incidentally, dialysis machines require electricity, they're going to require clean water, they're going to require a sterile setting -- infection is a huge risk with that. If you don't have all those things and a functioning dialysis machine, it's unlikely that you'd survive beyond several days or a week at the most. [CNN] or go to: http://edition.cnn.com/2002/HEALTH/01/21/gupta.otsc/

FBI: Bin Laden 'probably' dead

In BBC News on Thursday, 18 July, 2002, 09:15 GMT 10:15 UK

Bin Laden 'probably' dead

There are different views on whether Bin Laden is alive

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation's counter-terrorism chief, Dale Watson, says he thinks Osama bin Laden is "probably" dead.

It is thought to be the first time a senior US law-enforcement official has publicly offered an opinion on whether Bin Laden, the prime suspect believed to be behind the 11 September attacks, is dead or alive.

"Is (Bin Laden) alive or is he dead?" Mr Watson said. "I am not really sure of the answer... I personally think he is probably not with us anymore but I have no evidence to support that."

The remarks, made at a law-enforcement conference in Washington on Wednesday, follow recent statements from both an Arabic newspaper editor and the chief of German foreign intelligence that Bin Laden is still alive.

Bin Laden's last video surfaced in May

But Mr Watson's comments suggest that the FBI, at least, has no firsthand information that confirms Bin Laden is still alive.

Other US officials told the Associated Press they were surprised by Mr Watson's remarks, as Washington's official position remains that it does not know where Bin Laden is, or whether he is still alive...

Go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2135473.stm

Reported Funeral Article in Egyptian Newspaper, mid December 2001
Al-Wafd, Wednesday, December 26, 2001 Vol 15 No 4633

Translation of Funeral Article in Egyptian Paper:
al-Wafd, Wednesday, December 26, 2001 Vol 15 No 4633

News of Bin Laden's Death and Funeral 10 days ago

Islamabad -
A prominent official in the Afghan Taleban movement announced yesterday the death of Osama bin Laden, the chief of al-Qa'da organization, stating that binLaden suffered serious complications in the lungs and died a natural and quiet death. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, stated to The Observer of Pakistan that he had himself attended the funeral of bin Laden and saw his face prior to burial in Tora Bora 10 days ago. He mentioned that 30 of al-Qa'da fighters attended the burial as well as members of his family and some friends from the Taleban. In the farewell ceremony to his final rest guns were fired in the air. The official stated that it is difficult to pinpoint the burial location of bin Laden because according to the Wahhabi tradition no mark is left by the grave. He stressed that it is unlikely that the American forces would ever uncover any traces of bin Laden.

Israeli intelligence: Bin Laden is dead, heir has been chosen

Israeli sources said Israel and the United States assess that Bin Laden probably died in the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan in December. They said the emergence of new messages by Bin Laden are probably fabrications, Middle East Newsline reported. [World Tribune]

Check: http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_3.html

http://216.26.163.62/2002/me_terrorism_10_16.html

“Israeli intelligence: Bin Laden is dead, heir has been chosen

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM

Wednesday, October 16, 2002

TEL AVIV Osama Bin Laden appears to be dead but his colleagues have decided that Al Qaida and its insurgency campaign against the United

States will continue, Israeli intelligence sources said.

Al Qaida terrorists have launched a new campaign of economic warfare and are targeting shipping in the Middle East, according to U.S. intelligence officials.

The Israeli sources said Israel and the United States assess that Bin

Laden probably died in the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan in December. They said the emergence of new messages by Bin Laden are probably fabrications, Middle East Newsline reported.

But Bin Laden's heir has been chosen and his colleagues have decided to resume Al Qaida's offensive against the United States and Western allies, the sources said.

They said the organization regards the United States as the main target followed by Israel.

"In this case, it doesn't matter whether Bin Laden is alive or not," a senior Israeli intelligence source said. "The organization goes on with help from key people."

The sources said Al Qaida has already determined Bin Laden's heir. They said the heir has not been identified, but is probably not Bin Laden's son, Saad. Saad is said to be in his 20s and ranked within the top 20 members of Al Qaida.

Earlier this week, Bin Laden's deputy, Ayman Zawahiri, was said to have released a videotape in which he claims that the Al Qaida leader is alive and functioning. Bin Laden's voice was not heard on the tape.

A senior Bush administration economic official said last week that another major Al Qaida attack anywhere in the world could have devastating economic repercussions.

The FBI warned last week that Al Qaida may be preparing for a major attack. The warning followed the release of an audio tape featuring the voice of Zawahiri.

Bombings in Bali aimed at tourists, an attack on U.S. soldiers training in Kuwait and the bombing of a French tanker in Yemen are signs of the new campaign, Geostrategy-Direct.com reported in its Oct. 22 edition.

The first attack was carried out last week with the Al Qaida terrorist attack on the French tanker Limburg, a 157,000-ton ultra large crude oil carrier, that was bombed as it picked up a pilot before mooring at the Yemeni port of al Shihr.

One crew member was killed and others were injured in the blast.

According to intelligence officials, a small boat approached at high speed from the starboard side of the ship and detonated a large explosive device.

A week earlier, the Office of Naval Intelligence issued an alert to ships in the Middle East to be alert for Al Qaida terrorist attacks.”

Is Somebody trying to convince us that he was still alive till 30^th of April 2011?

Please check:

·  October Surprise 2004: From left handed to right handed? The new tape is fake!

·  November 2002: Lab confirms voice tapes are fake

·  September 2002: More bin Laden videos, but voice only?

·  March 2002: bin Laden sends an email from his AOL?

·  May 2002: Old bin Laden tapes, sent as new tapes

·  June 2002: Promises of new tapes, which the U.S. media may "choose" not to air.

Researched and Compiled By:

Abu Yuusuph

www.bittertruthnigeria.blogspot.com

yakub_lekan@yahoo.com

www.freegist.com