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Perv's just a tad over-optimistic on the number of al-Qaeda in Pakistan
Even while acknowledging that some al Qaeda leaders may have been killed in a recent U.S. military strike in his country, Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf Tuesday insisted it's his army that's winning the war on terrorism.He told an audience at the Nobel Institute in Norway that his military has now captured 700 al Qaeda terrorists. "We've taken away their sanctuaries, where they were in the hundreds. Now they are only in the dozens around in the mountains and we are chasing them," Musharraf said. But there are many more out there, and they want the world to know it, reports CBS News correspondent Jim Stewart. Somehow, the ones being chased continue to find time to make home movies. The latest batch on a terrorist-linked Web site show volunteers being trained in small arms and tactics somewhere in Afghanistan near the Pakistan border. They leave no doubt who their targets are and even display ground to air missile capability. Lately al Qaeda and Taliban-linked Web sites have been flooded with such videotapes that purport to show terrorists setting up shop once again in the region. But some appear well over a year old. It's impossible to date others, and U.S. counter-terrorism officials warn not to read too much into them. Still, they are impressive. There are detailed classes on how to construct anti-personnel mines. Future operations are explained, complete with topographical maps. New volunteers give testimonials one appears to speak English with an Australian accent. But who can tell whose voice that really is behind the head dress? There are even housekeeping scenes glimpses inside a terrorist dormitory, a well-made camp fire and the evening meal of lentils and fresh baked bread. The videos are all accompanied by background messages from Osama bin Laden. It is hard to tell what it all means in the end. However, the movies suggest Pakistan has more than just a few dozen terrorists still on the loose, which may explain the mounting number of U.S. missile strikes there. Posted by: Dan Darling 2006-01-25 |
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