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| India-Pakistan |
| Fissures appearing in Al Qaeda: CIA |
| 2008-03-13 |
| Internal divisions between Saudi and Egyptian leaders of Al Qaeda are producing “fissures” within the group and a possible battle over who will succeed Osama Bin Laden, according to CIA Director Michael Hayden, as quoted by the Washington Times on Wednesday. Hayden said the tribal regions of Pakistan “have become more of a safe haven for Al Qaeda,” and “there is more of a nexus between Al Qaeda and various Pashtun extremists and separatist groups than we seen in the past.” He added, “It’s a threat to Afghanistan, it’s a threat to Pakistan, and frankly, it’s a threat to the US,” noting that Western-appearing terrorists are being trained there. Hayden said that Al Qaeda regrouped in the past two years inside the Tribal Areas of Pakistan and linked up with Pashtun regional extremists in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region. Osama Bin Laden was now an “iconic” figure hiding somewhere between Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said, adding that there had been “an awful lot of jockeying” among possible successors of the Al Qaeda founder and chief. He was a Saudi and there were a lot of Egyptians in the leadership, including his No 2 Ayman Al-Zawahiri. If Bin Laden died, his succession by an Egyptian would be a “contentious matter”. Hayden said he did not know whether Bin Laden’s deputy would take over the group if the former died. Evidence: Hayden said CIA operations officers were working aggressively to locate, capture or kill Bin Laden. US military and government agents were working to “create the opportunity” to get Bin Laden, he disclosed. Asked whether Bin Laden was alive, the CIA chief said, “We have ... no evidence he’s not. And frankly, we think there would be evidence. ... Given the iconic stature, his death would cause a little more than a wake in the harbour. He’s putting a lot of his energy into hiding right now.” He added that the chances of getting Zawahri were better since he had been “more active”. Several of Al Qaeda’s operational leaders have been killed or captured, including Abu Laith al-Libi in late January. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #17 TW - final target acquisition. |
| Posted by: Bangkok Billy 2008-03-13 20:02 |
| #16 Do I want to know why a funnel would be used? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-03-13 19:27 |
| #15 CIA: Al Qaeda's A$$ is in a CRACK! they ought to know... |
| Posted by: RD 2008-03-13 13:22 |
| #14 bk: If anybody but the CIA said this, I might believe it. Those guys have demonstrated time again that they couldn't find their ass with both hands. zf: In broad daylight. With a funnel. |
| Posted by: Bangkok Billy 2008-03-13 12:55 |
| #13 Bobby Fissure? |
| Posted by: Chief Running Gag 2008-03-13 12:35 |
| #12 "Internal divisions between Saudi and Egyptian leaders of Al Qaeda..." over such issues as whether infidels and dogs are "quite similar" or "very similar" or whether homosexuals should be executed "brutally" or "viciously". |
| Posted by: mhw 2008-03-13 12:33 |
| #11 I'd rather "Fissions" to be appearing, at least 1Kt in size and used generously. |
| Posted by: BChoinski 2008-03-13 11:47 |
| #10 bk: If anybody but the CIA said this, I might believe it. Those guys have demonstrated time again that they couldn't find their ass with both hands. In broad daylight. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2008-03-13 11:02 |
| #9 Must be one of those 'Slam Dunk' things I keep hearing about. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2008-03-13 08:35 |
| #8 If al-q is cracking up, it's in spite of, not because of, anything the cia is doing... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2008-03-13 08:25 |
| #7 If anybody but the CIA said this, I might believe it. Those guys have demonstrated time again that they couldn't find their ass with both hands. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-03-13 07:45 |
| #6 Egyptians are merely North Africans as far as the Saudis are concerned, destined to serve the pure Saudi Arabs. As #2 and #3 they serve their Saudi master well, and their very competence speaks to his ability to find qualified and loyal underlings. But beware lest they begin to fancy themselves equal to their natural superiors! The Saudis have spent the last century demonstrating the ability to buy replacement competence for a good salary and a few gold baubles. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-03-13 02:37 |
| #5 If Bin Laden died, his succession by an Egyptian would be a “contentious matter”. Who would they rather have? Did being an Egyptian in Pakiland fall out of fashion? Maybe it has something to do with all the Egyptians yelling 'incoming' from time to time |
| Posted by: Galactic Coordinator Sneter1588 2008-03-13 02:02 |
| #4 IRNA > VP: IRAN HAS STRONG BONDS WITH LEBANON. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-03-13 01:54 |
| #3 Fissures appearing in CIA: Al Qaeda eh huh? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-03-13 01:51 |
| #2 Pragmatically, IMO OSAMA + Company are prob feeling heat from "young turks" inside AQ + Radical Islam whom desire to escalate and initate new 9-11's or greater Terror inside the USA proper, and to no longer put it off, i.e. NOT DELAY UNTIL NEAR OR DURING THE US NOVEMBER ELEX AS THE ISLAMIST INSURGENCY/COUNTER-SURGE, ESPEC PRO-AQ, IN IRAQ-ME MAY NOT MILITARILY LAST THAT LONG. These "young turks' may chose to break from AQ, etc. and act independently??? FREEREPUBLIC Posters > believe a NEW ISRAEL-HIZBULLAH CONFLICT IS COMING SOON, PROB LATER THIS SPRING OR IN SUMMER. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-03-13 00:33 |
| #1 Thats what HIDDEN IMAMS-MAHDIS, MESSIAHS + SAVIORS, etc. are for. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-03-13 00:13 |