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Intel shows Binny's alive?
Osama bin Laden is alive and regularly meeting Mullah Omar, the fugitive leader of the Taliban, according to a telephone call intercepted by American spy satellites. If it's true, that'll be the worst news of the week. But if it was copied by Merkin intel, at least our side knows for sure... In the conversation, recorded less than a month ago, Omar and a senior aide were discussing the American-led hunt to track them down. The two men, using a mobile Thuraya satellite phone, spoke about tactics for several minutes. Omar then turned to a third person who was within a few yards of him, voice analysis has revealed. After exchanging a few words, Omar said that 'the sheikh sends his salaams [greetings]'. Senior Taliban figures habitually refer to bin Laden as 'the sheikh'. That would imply that Binny was on the other end of the line, or that the guy on the other end of the line passed on the "salaams." If it was just passed on by the guy on the other end, it's not proof. I could call you on the phone and pass on greetings from Franklin D. Roosevelt, but he'd still be dead... Voice analysis appears to corroborate the identification of bin Laden. 'It shows he was alive recently at least,' said a senior Afghan intelligence officer. 'Some people might like to think he is dead, but that's just wishful thinking.' That doesn't quite hold together. If Omar was on the line with a "senior aide" and was confirmed by voice analysis, that's good data confirming Omar's alive, though nobody's ever claimed he was toes up. The "senior aide" passing on the greetings isn't good data unless the "senior aide" was Binny himself. Mullah Omar could be just as in the dark as we are â it's to the advantage of the Qaeda Bigs to keep him thinking Binny's alive... The revelation comes amid growing speculation that bin Laden is dead. He has looked gaunt and unwell in videos released by al-Qaeda, and appeared unable to use his left arm. There has been no public statement from bin Laden since early this year. Some analysts say this lack of communication indicates that he might be dead, but others say he is biding his time. 'He does not want to be rushed into saying something reactive. He wants to make statements on his own terms,' said Abdul Bari Atwan, editor of al-Quds newspaper in London. He's been going to speak "any time now" since at least July... Other analysts feel Omar could have been bluffing, knowing he was being listened to by the Americans. Which blows away any contention of voice ID on Binny himself... BTW, thanx to whomever it was that blabbed this little bit of intel. Want to bet the line's now dead, never to emit another peep? Stoopid bastards. On the other hand, since this would be fairly juicy, if real, it could also be a false leak to find where the hole is. The "senior Afghan intelligence officer" probably isn't on the share list anymore. And I'm surprised he was in the first place â if he was. Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-10-06 |
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