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| North Africa |
| Bin Laden to Libya? |
| 2003-02-07 |
| Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is making preparations to move his family to Libya, according to U.S. intelligence officials. Recent intelligence reports said spy agencies have picked up indications that bin Laden family members are preparing to head for Libya from other parts of the world that the officials would not identify. They mean Pakland, Yemen and Soddy Arabia... In the past, bin Laden has kept his several wives and numerous offspring at several residences in Afghanistan, including compounds in Jalalabad and Kandahar, until U.S. military forces ousted the ruling Taliban militia in December 2001. There were an estimated 50 bin Laden family members in Afghanistan, including wives, children and bodyguards. After the fall of the Taliban regime, intelligence reports surfaced indicating that bin Laden and his family members were heading for Somalia, in East Africa. A watch was placed on the lawless desert country, but bin Laden and his family did not show up. Not if they knew we were waiting for them... Other intelligence reports have placed bin Laden in hiding somewhere along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. U.S. intelligence has started a massive worldwide hunt for bin Laden. Some officials think he is dead. However, an audiotape of bin Laden's voice surfaced late last year discussing recent al Qaeda attacks in Yemen, Indonesia and Kuwait, the first indication since December 2001 that he is alive. The U.S. government is offering a $25 million reward to anyone who helps kill or capture bin Laden. So far, no one has collected the reward. He could still be alive, but the tape is suspect. I'd still put chances that he's dead well into the "probable" range. Muammar has been playing the Grand Old — Retired — Man of Terror. There were the stories about Sammy going into exile in Libya, and after the Afghan campaign he offered refuge to the "Afghan Arabs." He also offered to take in Hekmatyar when Iran kicked him out. This could as likely be an offer of a comfortable retirement as an indication Binny's risen from the grave and is moving to North Africa. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |