MFS - The Other News - Special Osama Bin Laden

Osama Bin Laden was not killed by a Putter or an Iron!
         It were the brave Navy Seals who did it!

             Special Osama Bin Laden Posting.

• Islamabad is 9:0 hours ahead of Washington DC.The president left the White House to play golf at 9:42 am, arriving at the Andrews Air Force Base course about 25 minutes later, according to the press pool report. He then ended his game after nine holes at 1:39 pm and made it back to the White House at 2:04 pm, about two hours before the attack on Bin Laden appears to have occurred.Hmmm....2:04 pm would be 11:04 pm Islamabad.According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the attack on Bin Laden’s compound north of Islamabad seems to have happened at about 1:10 am local time,thats about 4 pm. Hmmm.....Poor guy had to cut short his golf.Still the Nine Americans who came home on Sunday in bodybags from Afghanistan did not prevent him from playing.

• Osama bin Laden Has Been Dead For Years.(Davidicke). In an address to the nation, Obama said he ordered the strike that allegedly killed Osama. The remainder of his speech followed the standard war on terror propaganda script. A small team of Americans killed bin Laden in a firefight at a compound in Pakistan, the president said in a dramatic late-night statement at the White House, the Associated Press reported following Obama’s address.Obama said the military took custody of his remains. It remains to be seen if the government will attempt to provide evidence that the remains are indeed those of Osama bin Laden.''Killing Osama bin Laden is a pretty big deal. You’d think that it would be in the interests of US forces to take a snapshot of the elusive terror leader to milk the propaganda value of such a momentous turn of events, and yet the corporate media has given us nothing but a years old fake picture. This makes little sense, unless of course, somebody is trying to hide something, namely the fact that Osama’s dead corpse has been on ice for the best part of a decade.According to some reports, Bin Laden’s body has already been hastily “buried at sea,” meaning that the comic book story of his dramatic killing is based solely on the less than credible word of the U.S. government.'Read the full story here.

• Reactions to Osama Bin Laden’s Death.Bin Laden Assassination – Hamas Condemns It, PA Welcomes It, Islamists Expect Revenge, Iran Doubts Whether He Was Assassinated At All. (Memri).

Gaza Hamas prime minister Isma'il Haniya said that despite the dispute between Hamas and Al-Qaeda, Hamas condemns the assassination of "jihad fighter" Osama bin Laden. He said, "This is a continuation of the American policy based on violence and on the shedding of Arab and Islamic blood." Palestinian Authority spokesman Ghassan Al-Khatib said that the assassination "will benefit worldwide peace, but the important thing is to defeat the sheikh and the violent style that bin Laden and others implemented and encouraged." Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt deputy leader Dr. 'Issam Al-'Arian said that bin Laden's death removes one of the reasons for violence in the world, and predicted that revenge would come. Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiyya Shura Council chairman Sheikh Safwat Abd Al-Ghani said that the incident would not end the dispute between Al-Qaeda and the U.S., while council member Sheikh 'Issam Abd Al-Magid predicted that bin Laden's path and outlook would fade following his death. Leading Salafi preacher Omar Bakri said in Lebanon that bin Laden's death expresses the loss of a leader in the region, but that it was good that he had achieved the martyrdom that he wanted. Bakri too said that there would be revenge operations. Muslim clerics said that the burial of bin Laden at sea that was a violation of Islamic law, which permits such burial only if the death took place at sea. Iranian Majlis National Security Commission chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi raised doubts regarding whether bin Laden had actually been killed, saying that the U.S. had made similar announcements before (see Iranian Majlis Member: Nothing New In Bin Laden Death Report). He said that even if the assassination was carried out, it was a minor achievement after a decade of U.S. aggression in Afghanistan

Former Muslim Brotherhood UK Leader Praises Osama Bin Laden.

In a live question-and-answer session titled "Bin Laden Dead: What Next?" on Onislam.net, Dr. Kamal Helbawy answered questions about the situation in the Arab and Muslim world following the assassination of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Dr. Helbawy, an Egyptian, served as official spokesman of the Muslim Brotherhood in the West from 1995-1997. While living in London, he helped create the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB, on whose board he still serves) and the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB). During the onislam.net discussion, Dr. Helbawy praised bin Laden for being a leader of jihad, saying "We appreciate him as a rich man living in KSA who left this luxurious life and moved to a hard life in mountains and caves. He helped his Afghan brethrens and participated in Afghan jihad effectively." Dr. Helbawy also accused the U.S. of being behind the 9/11 attacks, saying, "I think that what the Americans claim about September 11th was a trick and a bait they accused Al-Qaeda of. All evidences and indications refer that the Americans are the ones who planned this matter." He further wrote, "I ask Allah to have mercy upon Osama bin Laden, to treat him generously, to enlighten his grave, and to make him join the prophets, the martyrs, and the good people."

Bin Laden's Four Children, Two Wives Arrested.

Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's four children and two wives have been arrested, sources said. A close friend of bin Laden named as "Akbar" was also arrested and transferred to an undisclosed location. Osama bin Laden was killed today in a U.S. special forces operation in Abbottabad, less than 100 km from the Pakistan capital Islamabad. A security alert was declared in Abbotabad and adjacent areas following the U.S. operation in which bin Laden was killed. Read the full story here.

• Indian Media Reports on Osama bin Laden's Killing: 'Osama was Killed in an ISI Safehouse'; 'Finger of Suspicion at ISI'; 'More Shame… Heading ISI's Way'.(Memri).

Quoting Pakistani officials, a number of media reports state that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden could not have hidden in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad (where he was killed) without the knowledge of the Pakistani military, especially its powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The website of the leading Indian weekly magazine India Today published a report from its Pakistan correspondent titled "Osama Dead: Pak May Have Known About His Presence in Abbottabad." The report noted growing speculation that Osama bin Laden was killed at a safehouse operated by the ISI. Two more reports were published by the websites rediff.com and timesofindia.com that indicated that the ISI knew bin Laden's whereabouts.It should be noted that the website of the Urdu-language Pakistani daily Roznama Jang reported earlier today that Pakistani army forces did not participate in the operation to kill bin Laden. The report quoted a statement of the Pakistani Foreign Office as confirming that Osama bin Laden was killed in the operation but the "Pakistani security forces did not take part in the operation."The Pakistani military's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is known to be the most powerful player in Pakistan, virtually dictating Pakistan's foreign relations with Afghanistan, India, and the United States. It has been known over the past several decades for its support to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Last month, Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated in Islamabad that the ISI continues to support the Haqqani Network, the second largest group of militants among the Taliban in Afghanistan.

"A senior Pakistan military official has told India Today that it was impossible for the army to have not known that Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was in Abbottabad. This has further fuelled speculation that Osama was killed in an ISI safehouse. Bin Laden was killed in the operation late on Sunday night at a mansion in Abbottabad, 80 kilometers north of Islamabad."The cantonment [military camp] town houses many military institutions, including Pakistan's Military Academy at Kakul, where most of its military elite - including present [Pakistan Army] chief General [Ashfaq Pervez] Kayani - have passed through.

"The joint operation of Pakistani troops and American special forces that killed Osama bin Laden did not encounter any fierce resistance from the Al-Qaeda chief's bodyguards. 'There was minimal resistance and none of the troops in the operation were injured,' the official told India Today.

"Sources say this was unusual for a high-value target like bin Laden, who was normally surrounded by dozens of his elite bodyguards. No one was willing to talk about how many troops took part in this operation. Bin Laden's body was transported to Bagram airbase near Kabul, Afghanistan.  ????

"Pakistan-U.S. intelligence agencies got a tip-off last Friday that Osama was hiding somewhere in Abbottabad. After tracing the exact location, a joint operation was carried out by special troops of Pak and U.S. Special Forces, which finally killed Osama bin Laden along with some of Al-Qaeda operatives."However, a spokesperson of Inter-Services public relations [of the Pakistani military] Major General Athar Abbas declined [to] comment. The Pakistan Foreign Office has stated that bin Laden was killed in an 'intelligence driven operation' around Abbottabad in the early hours of this morning. 'The operation was carried out by U.S. forces in accordance with the declared U.S. policy that Osama bin Laden will be eliminated in a direct action by U.S. forces wherever found in the world,' the statement said…"'If Bin Laden Managed to Play Hide and Seek with the World All This While, It was Only Thanks to ISI's Patronage"

"More Shame and Retribution Heading ISI's Way" and published on the Indian website rediff.com also noted that Osama bin Laden could not have lived in Abbottabad without the knowledge of the Pakistani military. Following are excerpts from the report:

"Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence [ISI] is bound to be cornered in the days to come following the killing of dreaded terrorist Osama bin Laden."A source in the intelligence agency says that Osama's death will no doubt put the ISI in a very uncomfortable position among the Al-Qaeda, Haqqani Network, and the Lashkar-e-Taiba, who now feel betrayed by the agency."When the dust settles, more embarrassment could come the ISI's way with the trial of terror suspects David Coleman Headley and Tahhawur Rana, due to commence [in a Chicago court]."Nothing in the Af-Pak region goes unnoticed by the ISI, and if bin Laden managed to play hide-and-seek with the world all this while, it was only thanks to ISI's patronage. Although the U.S. has claimed that Pakistan was not in the know of this operation, terror groups would not believe so."They are aware that nothing is possible unless there has been a certain degree of support from the establishment. Moreover, Osama was living in a place close to the army headquarters in Abbottabad, about 70 kilometers northeast of Pakistan's capital Islamabad. This is not a fact that would have gone unnoticed by the ISI.

Report in Indian Daily: "Hiding Bin Laden: Finger of Suspicion at ISI"

In a report, a correspondent of The Times of India newspaper filed a report from Washington under the title "Hiding bin Laden: Finger of Suspicion at ISI." Following are excerpts from the report:"[Announcing the death of Osama bin Laden,] while Obama said: 'It's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding,' he made no mention of any Pakistani military role in the operation. U.S. officials in background briefing made it clear that no country, much less Pakistan, was informed of the operation. "In fact, there was not even a word of thanks for Pakistan. Instead, Obama said: 'Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al-Qaida and its affiliates.'

"Taken together with President Obama's pointed reference to President Zardari and leaving out any mention of Pakistani forces' involvement, it would seem that Washington believes that Pakistan's military intelligence establishment, including the ISI, was sheltering bin Laden. The ISI was accused as recently as last week by top U.S. military official Admiral Mike Mullen of having terrorist links, and named as a terrorist support entity by U.S. officials, according to the Guantanamo cables. "Lending credence to the charges is the fact that U.S. forces honed in on bin Laden in Abbottabad, which is a cantonment just 50 kilometers from Islamabad, where the Pakistani military has a strong presence. The place where bin Laden was killed is only kilometers from the Kakul military academy, where many Pakistani military elites, including some of its ISI cadres, graduate from. "While U.S. officials are tight-lipped about precise details, analysts are trying to figure out whether the compound that sheltered bin Laden was an ISI safehouse. There is also speculation as to whether Hillary Clinton was referring to this when she made her pointed remarks last May. "U.S. officials have said for years that they believed bin Laden escaped to Pakistan after the American bombing campaign in Afghanistan. But Pakistani officials, including its former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, insisted that he was in Afghanistan, even as Afghan officials would angrily refute it and say he is in Pakistan. In the end, the Americans and Afghans were right on the money."Read the full story here.

• Reactions to News of OBL's Death on Jihadi Websites Voice Disbelief, Call for Revenge. OBL Commemorated on Facebook.

As of this writing, no official message from jihadi media organs has appeared on jihadi websites in reaction to U.S. President Barack Obama's announcement that U.S. forces had killed Osama Bin Laden.The administrators of the Shumoukh Al-Islam forum erased two messages posted by members who discussed the issue, and issued a statement warning members not to talk about the matter and not to believe any media reports, but to rely only on official statements from the mujahideen: "Have faith in Allah, be patient and do not report the rumors that are being spread! We have clarified this matter many times. By God, none of you is to write about this matter until we receive confirmed reports from those concerned." Many forum members responded to this message by expressing denial of the reports in the Western media and by praying for Bin Laden's wellbeing. A prominent writer on Shumoukh, Hussein Bin Mahmoud, posted a message titled "Osama is Alive." Many members took heart in a news item on Russia Today TV, according to which the Pakistani Taliban denied Bin Laden's death, saying that he was in a safe place. Some online jihadists went as far as denying the authenticity of the photos that appeared in the media showing Bin Laden's body.A member of Shumoukh who calls himself Abu Malik Al-Maqdisi, who is most likely Palestinian, expressed the wish for revenge: "America and the community of disbelief must know that Osama's soldiers and religion did not and will not die, Allah willing. We are determined, Allah willing, [to take] revenge, revenge, revenge. If he is alive, we will take revenge, and if he is a martyr, we will take revenge. We will not forget our religion, which you have insulted, and our prophet, whom you have mocked... We are your soldiers, O Osama! By Allah, how good you are, dead or alive."Another member of Shumoukh, going by the name Mukhadib Al-Dima', discussed the spontaneous gathering outside the White House, asking who would be willing to come forth to kill Americans, joining the list of heroes that includes Nidal Hasan, Faisal Shahzad, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, and others. He reminded his fellow jihadists that there is no need to ask clerical permission for the killing of Americans.The administrators of 'Al-Tawhid', a popular page of jihadist sympathizers on Facebook with over 18,000 followers, reacted to the news with dismay, pleading with members not to believe the reports. Later on, though, the administrators changed the profile picture to that of Bin Laden, and published poems commemorating him.In addition, a new Facebook page sympathizing with Bin Laden was set up this morning, titled "We are all the Sheikh Osama Bin Laden". Several hours after being established, the page has 684 followers. Read the full story here.

• Bin Laden death: Views from Pakistan.(Al-Jazeera).While Americans breath sigh of relief, many Pakistanis are apprehensive of the future after al-Qaeda leader's death.President Obama, in his announcement of bin Laden's death, acknowledged Pakistan's co-operation in the hunt for him.However, it has not yet been established, to what extent did the intelligence agencies of US and Pakistan work together.Gul said: "If they carried the operation without the cooperation of ISI, then it will definitely be seen as a direct attack on Pakistan’s integrity and its sovereignty."And if ISI and CIA co-operated on this operation then this entire rhetoric of tense relations between the two agencies was a complete drama.""Given that the helicopters flew at night, and helicopters fly very low so there is no way that they could have escaped the radar of Pakistan intelligence," said Kasuri."So this indicates that there was a degree of cooperation. Now what we do not know is the extent of the co-operation."Ayaz Amir, a Pakistan-based columnist, says it is highly unlikely that "the Pakistani intelligence agencies would have known where he was. They couldn't have played this high-risk game of knowing his whereabouts and pretending otherwise"."And it is surprising that it took place near a very busy road, it shows sheer audacity that on his part that he chose to seek refuge in a compound in that area."The US forces couldn’t have carried out the operation on their own so the question is who gave them the tip-off?"Many did believe he was already dead - including some CIA officials.And General Pervez Musharraf, during his time as the president of Pakistan, also said that the man was probably dead but speaking to Geo News on Monday, he said that, "If I had the intelligence report, then I could have confirmed his whereabouts."I used to get agitated if someone made a claim that they knew where he was – I have to say I was surprised to find out that he was found in Abbottabad.""When I held the presidential office, in terms of military operations, intelligence cooperation, human intelligence was always ours."We had zero technical expertise - no aerial surveillance so we started developing it. But we needed technical support from CIA and gradually we developed our own which was still not comparable to that of the US."The policy was clear that only Pakistani troops will operate, no foreign troops will operate. US forces were never allowed, Pakistani forces always operated independently."And like many others Musharraf acknowledged that "US had always said that in case of actionable intelligence, we will act. But it is a violation of our country, we have well-trained troops."

Worry for Pakistan?

The initial surprise and disbelief have already started to transform into worry for many Pakistanis."Pakistan has the most to fear in terms of the reaction, from wherever al-Qaeda has strength in the Islamic World, including Asia and Middle East," said Kasuri."In the short term, there will be many more incidents by terrorists, these will be acts to avenge Osama bin Laden’s death......and not just in Pakistan but across the globe."In the medium term, US public opinion has been swayed, they feel that justice has been done and it will help Obama finalise his exit strategy from the region."In the long term, there will be a quiet debate in the US quarters on how did the phenomenon (of al-Qaeda) come about, they will not acknowledge it but they will talk about it.Imran Khan, Chairman Movement for Justice, who staged a sit-in just over a week ago to stop NATO supplies to protest US drone strikes in Pakistan says that, "It will be very difficult for Pakistan now."If our leadership fails to handle it properly, there will be a backlash from Osama bin Laden’s followers who will hail him as a martyr and try to avenge his death."And on the other hand, the idea will be presented to the world and is already being presented by the US media that Pakistan is the hub of terrorism.

Just a symbol

Osama bin Laden, the man who indeed founded al-Qaeda although was no longer the chief operations commander of the outfit, will surely be missed by many of his followers.Raja Zafar-ul-Haq of Pakistan Muslim League says that "he had just been a symbol (of terrorism) for the last few years but we must remember that the network is still present."There will be anger, and the target will not just be US but also Pakistanis so the Pakistan government as well armed forces need to strategise."Musharraf reminded of a true threat that he believes is very much present still despite the death of the man."Al-Qaeda will not just crumble and disappear, whenever someone gefts eliminated from their leadership campaign then new people come and take charge, so we must all realise that it is a long drawn campaign.""Technical training of Pakistani Taliban such as preparing and using IEDs, suicide jackets, all this training has been given by al-Qaeda... so it is actually al-Qaeda not Osama, that is Pakistan’s main enemy."No foreigner has the right to spread terrorism on Pakistan' soil."Read the full story here.