So where is bin Laden?

**dirtydog** · 12-09-2006, 08:13 PM

Hunt ... goes on for world's most evil man bin Laden

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By OLIVER HARVEY
Reporter Of The Year
September 09, 2006

WHEN a journalist took his family for lunch recently in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, he was surprised to see two of Osama bin Laden’s bodyguards.
Writer Hamid Mir — who has interviewed the al-Qaeda chief three times — pretended not to recognise the duo as he enjoyed the meal.
Their boss is, after all, the world’s most wanted man, with a $25million bounty on his head — and Hamid did not want the pair to feel uneasy about the chance of being arrested.
But they had no such fears.
As Hamid chatted with his wife and children, the two well-built men approached him and said: “Nowadays you are ignoring us.”
The chance meeting is one of the few clues to emerge about the whereabouts of history’s most infamous fugitive.
Despite a billion-dollar manhunt, 9/11 mastermind bin Laden is still at large. So how does a 6ft 5in middle-aged terror chief evade a superpower which is searching for him with the latest technology and crack special forces?
Five years after 2,973 innocents perished in the Twin Towers attack, military officials and terror experts firmly believe bin Laden is alive — and still the figurehead for a global holy war.
The US says four audio tapes released by bin Laden this year appear genuine. And an archive video of him meeting 9/11 plotters as they trained for the attacks, released two days ago, has brought the question back to the fore. Many experts believe he is hiding in the tribal areas of Pakistan which border Afghanistan.
I visited this remote region of snow-capped mountains and plunging valleys last month.

It is the perfect bolthole for the world’s most wanted man.
This wild territory — near al-Qaeda’s birthplace in Peshawar in the North-West Frontier Province — is ruled by fierce Pashtun tribesmen who run the tribal zones as personal fiefdoms, keeping order with AK-47s.
The Pashtuns have a fierce code of honour which allows them to protect fugitives — and they cannot be bought off. The Pakistani government has no influence among the mountain peaks and US troops are not welcome.
Photo reconnaissance by unmanned spy drones and satellites have not captured any “signatures” showing regular movement by guards or vehicles that might belong to bin Laden.
He is rumoured to communicate only by personal couriers who ride humble motorcycles and buses to pass messages from the tribal areas to al-Qaeda enclaves in cities including Peshawar and Karachi.
US experts suspect his presence is known only to a hardcore of no more than 20 guards who have pledged to die rather than reveal his whereabouts.
The last time bin Laden’s location was known for certain was in December 2001. Holed up in the caves of Tora Bora in Afghanistan, he narrowly escaped being bombed by US B52s. But US forces at the time relied too much on Afghan commanders who accepted bribes to let al-Qaeda slip through.
Respected Peshawar opposition politician Abdul Lateef Afridi, 62, told The Sun: “I believe bin Laden is here in Pakistan.
“Pakistan is a bastion of terrorism. It encourages militancy, fundamentalism and allows terrorism to flourish.”
Some locals accuse elements of the Pakistani secret service — the ISI — of aiding al-Qaeda and its allies.
I asked General Hamid Gul, ex-head of the ISI, where he though bin Laden was holed up.

$25m bounty ... but no one will give him up

Gul — who has met bin Laden twice — said: “Search me. He could be in Afghanistan or Iran. Some of his family certainly fled to Iran.”
According to a US military intelligence official, bin Laden is likely to be hiding in an area called Chitral in the far north of Pakistan.
It is bounded by Afghanistan to the west and China to the north.
He cited as evidence the trees found only in Chitral which can be seen in a 2003 video of bin Laden walking in a mountainous region.
Amid the high peaks of Malakand — close to Chitral in north-west Pakistan — I met Maulana Mohammad Alam, a Taliban warlord who fought alongside bin Laden in Afghanistan.
If anyone knows where bin Laden is, it should be this tribal chief.
Smiling, he told me: “Yes, I’ve met bin Laden in the past. People say he’s here but I say he’s in US.”
Despite some criticism of Pakistan’s efforts in the hunt, Mahmud Durrani, Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, said recently that his nation remains “fully committed” to the war on terrorism.
He added: “I would like to see bin Laden strung up from the tallest pole.”
But as Monday’s anniversary of 9/11 approaches, it is a prospect that seems further away than ever.

o.harvey@the-sun.co.uk

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**Little Chuchok** · 12-09-2006, 08:24 PM

I think he is my wifes pants...hidden in a desert like area and away from prying eyes.

**barbaro** · 12-09-2006, 08:44 PM

Good thread DD.

The U.S. had Osama Bin Laden cornered in Tora Bora, Afghanistan.

The top military leaders there requested 600-800 soldiers, mostly Army Rangers.

The were never sent.

All they had were 50-60 men. There were actually more journalists present.

This was intentional.

It's better to keep Osama out there. That way the U.S. can keep pursuing it's true interests.

**man with no head** · 12-09-2006, 08:47 PM

Easier to prey on people's fears when the enemy isn't apprehended.

**KID** · 12-09-2006, 09:54 PM

probably at mhz and his cousins family home having tea

**Butterfly** · 12-09-2006, 10:02 PM

Do they have MaiTai in Pakistan ?

**Marmite the Dog** · 12-09-2006, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by Ignorant Twat

Hunt ... goes on for world's most evil man bin Laden

I thought George & Dick were the most evil men in the world?

**machangezi** · 13-09-2006, 05:21 PM

I don't think he's hiding in the Northern areas of Pakistan. I think he's somewhere along the Pak - Afghan border in the South - west of Pakistan. Chaman and Tora Bora to be specific.

Its just my guess.

**Storekeeper** · 14-09-2006, 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

As Hamid chatted with his wife and children, the two well-built men approached him and said: “Nowadays you are ignoring us.”

Why is DD posting threads about "well-built" men ?

**Mhz** · 14-09-2006, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by KID

probably at mhz and his cousins family home having tea

I wish. He would be a very very short short cut to getting rich.

**KID** · 14-09-2006, 07:48 PM

^ OR DEAD

**Boon Mee** · 14-09-2006, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Originally Posted by dirtydog

As Hamid chatted with his wife and children, the two well-built men approached him and said: “Nowadays you are ignoring us.”

Why is DD posting threads about "well-built" men ?

Hmmm...good question

**Silent Ninja** · 14-09-2006, 08:29 PM

So should we arrange a group trip to the area and share the bounty after we find him?

**raycarey** · 14-09-2006, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Originally Posted by dirtydog

As Hamid chatted with his wife and children, the two well-built men approached him and said: “Nowadays you are ignoring us.”

Why is DD posting threads about "well-built" men ?

Hmmm...good question

i think the question in the thread title is too....but it appears you and sk would rather engage in juvenile, homoerotic banter.

**Storekeeper** · 15-09-2006, 06:38 AM

Originally Posted by raycarey

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Originally Posted by dirtydog

As Hamid chatted with his wife and children, the two well-built men approached him and said: “Nowadays you are ignoring us.”

Why is DD posting threads about "well-built" men ?

Hmmm...good question

i think the question in the thread title is too....but it appears you and sk would rather engage in juvenile, homoerotic banter.

Are you and butterfly still living together ?

**Boon Mee** · 15-09-2006, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by raycarey

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Originally Posted by dirtydog

As Hamid chatted with his wife and children, the two well-built men approached him and said: “Nowadays you are ignoring us.”

Why is DD posting threads about "well-built" men ?

Hmmm...good question

i think the question in the thread title is too....but it appears you and sk would rather engage in juvenile, homoerotic banter.

Well, thought it would be keeping with your advanced degree from that jr. college...

**Storekeeper** · 15-09-2006, 06:58 AM

Based on his use of punctation and capitalization I think you've got him pegged Boon mee. And he's a TEFLer.

**Storekeeper** · 15-09-2006, 09:50 AM

Mark my words ... we'll catch the bastard bin Laden someday ...

Killer caught after 30 years on the lam - Crime & Punishment - MSNBC.com

**barbaro** · 15-09-2006, 10:12 AM

^ I still strongly believe that the U.S. does not want to catch him.

It serves their interests to have him out there.

**raycarey** · 15-09-2006, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Mark my words ... we'll catch the bastard bin Laden someday

could be sk, could be.

but then again, you've also posted that.....

the soldiers in the haditha atrocities are not guilty.
there were WMD in iraq
that there is no shame in shielding your children from signing up for service in iraq.

**Storekeeper** · 15-09-2006, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by raycarey

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Mark my words ... we'll catch the bastard bin Laden someday

could be sk, could be.

but then again, you've also posted that.....

1. the soldiers in the haditha atrocities are not guilty.
2. there were WMD in iraq
3. that there is no shame in shielding your children from signing up for service in iraq.

1. They aren't.
2. There were ... even your boys Gore and Clinton said the same thing.
3. I said I don't sweat it if people do it. There are plenty of people signing up and reenlisting to carry the load.

You ain't sweatin' me are you ray ?

**KID** · 22-09-2006, 05:43 AM

After today, he is probably haveing tea with pervez musharraf

**Mhz** · 22-09-2006, 09:42 PM

How come you know??

are you gonna be the one to serve them?

**KID** · 22-09-2006, 09:46 PM

Yep, 223's At Noon

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