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Home Front: WoT
Fox: Bin Laden Urges Zarqawi to Hit U.S.
2005-02-28
Recent communications between Usama bin Laden and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi indicate that bin Laden has "encouraged Zarqawi and his group to focus on attacks inside the United States," multiple U.S. officials told FOX News on Monday. The sources would not get into detail about how the communication was made or how it was intercepted by the United States.
Heh.
They also said that there is nothing specific in the message, such as maps or references to particular cities or buildings. Rather, the communication simply encourages a "focus" on attacks inside U.S. borders, sources said.
Dan speculated that Zarq was not looking forward to the next communique from HQ following the Iraqi elections...
Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq and believed to be the inspiration of the ongoing bombings, beheadings and attacks on Iraqi and American forces, pledged his alliance to bin Laden last year and changed the name of his group in Iraq to reflect his ties to Al Qaeda. Iraqi officials said they expect to take Zarqawi soon; they recently nabbed a key associate and the driver of Jordanian-born terror leader.
Heh.
U.S. officials say Zarqawi has "his hands full" trying to stay out of U.S. or Iraqi custody in Iraq and they question whether Zarqawi's group would have the ability to pull off an attack inside America.
Heh.
Also, officials are wondering aloud what this means about Al Qaeda and whether it means the group is reaching out to its central leader because they are under significant pressure.
Posted by:Mrs. Davis

#10  lol - bet Zarqawi was real excited to get his new orders.... gonna be a bitch to swim with one leg, dammit
Posted by: Frank G   2005-02-28 9:07:54 PM  

#9  Who said we intercepted comms? What is said is that there were comms. We've also recently intercepted some of Zarqawi's senior lieutenants. You don't suspect they're singing like canaries, like most of these fearless jihadis once they're in our hands?

That said, AMZ has never expressed a desire to attack America, but to attack Americans in Muslim lands. His MO has been conspicuously consistent on that point. So if UBL is urging AMZ to attack America, either AMZ has convinced UBL he has weapons available to him, perhaps in the states, that UBL wants to direct the use of. AMZ could, of course, be lying, or just exaggerating. Either way, if UBL is urging AMZ to attack America, either his own nets in America are tattered and his C2 is shot, or he's just desperate. Or all of the above.
Posted by: longtime lurker   2005-02-28 8:52:19 PM  

#8  Two possibilities come to mind. First, that Bin Laden knows he's can't hit the US and he's hoping Zarqawi can after his limited successes slaughtering Iraqi's. Two, Zarqawi is finished in Iraq and Bin Laden knows it and is providing a face saving out for Zarqawi to quit the country without declaring a loss.

I'm betting on number 2 if the communication is real, I'm betting it isn't real though, or if it is it is all code and no substance.
Posted by: RJ Schwarz   2005-02-28 7:06:28 PM  

#7  
WHEN RADIO COMMUNICATION IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE...
Posted by: BigEd   2005-02-28 6:11:36 PM  

#6  Bin Laden: Hey Zarqawi, I know you are kinda busy, but do you think you could hit the US inside the US?

Zarqawi: Um, boss...I am moving nightly just to keep ahead of the infidels. My limo driver was just arrested and most of my agents are gone. I really don't have the resources to do that right now.

Bin Laden: I know that big Z, but it is starting to look like we are loosing here and we need a big hit on the big Satan. You know?

Zarqawi: As I said, I got my hands full with Iraq right now. Why don't you hit the US?

Bin Laden: I would like to, really. But my "safe" house is being watched. Almost every house on this block is and I can't stick my head out of the door without being seen. I have to use a decrepid poodle to deliver messages to people. I haven't seen poor Achmed for a week and I am starting to think he has been captured. Poor guy.

Zarqawi: Right... Listen I gotta go. Something is burning in the oven and ... stuff. *whispers off phone* Yes, I know the damn Infidels are coming I'll call you when I am ready to strike the US.

Bin Laden: Soon, right?

Zarqawi: Ya, soon. Don't worry. *click*
Posted by: mmurray821   2005-02-28 5:18:31 PM  

#5  Odd that he would choose the guy who's currently in a hot war on one front to go fight on another. It's like pulling Patton off his drive to Berlin to go fight in the Pacific. I guess his bench isn't very deep right now.
Posted by: BH   2005-02-28 5:16:35 PM  

#4  Right. Here we are three and a half years into the war and Binny still hasn't strapped on a bomb belt and gone for broke. REMF.
Posted by: Matt   2005-02-28 5:12:38 PM  

#3  Sounds like bin Laden is ready to fight on to the last dead Iraqi terrorist.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2005-02-28 5:06:40 PM  

#2   If we intercepted the communication, that kinda' indicates that we know where each of these guys was when that communication was made, right?

No, just that we were able to tap into the transmission somewhere in between. If it's even true. Could just be playing with somebody's mind, too.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-02-28 5:01:21 PM  

#1  Um, okay...

If we intercepted the communication, that kinda' indicates that we know where each of these guys was when that communication was made, right?

Just kill the bastards already instead of pussyfotting around with this kinda' bullsh*t!
Posted by: LC FOTSGreg   2005-02-28 4:56:33 PM  

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