Musharraf Reveals New Bin Laden Intelligence
For the first time, Pakistani President Pervez Musharaff has revealed that his government may know the general whereabouts of Osama bin Laden. Speaking at a meeting in New York earlier this week, Musharaff conceded that bin Laden may well be in his country, according to people who heard his comments. "We believe he is somewhere between Bajaur, Pakistan, and the province of Kunar in Afghanistan," he said at a meeting connected to his appearance at the United Nations. THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS Missed Opportunities: The CIA and Bin Laden VIDEO: The Hunt for Bin Laden Senate Votes to Fund "Unnecessary" OBL Unit Click Here for More of the Brian Ross Page As recently as last week, Pakistani government spokespeople had said bin Laden’s whereabouts were a complete mystery. The area described by Musharaff is a mountainous region north of the Pakistani city of Peshawar. Musharaff told the New York audience that bin Laden "could be in either Pakistan or Afghanistan."

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And we should believe Pres. Perv why? I hope our intel agencies are using Abu Graib techniques on this guy. That is about 15000 square miles! Thanks for the help moron…by the way, NASA sent Pakistan directions on how to get to the moon…”its up there”.
Posted by: Joe - Dallas | September 19, 2006, 7:38 pm 7:38 pm
Musharaff has feined ignorance of the location of the Taliban and Bin Laden for 5 years. After two attempts on his life Musharaff has obviously struck a deal with the terrorists since these attempts have now stopped. What happened to Bush’s black and white proclamation that you are either with us or against us? Musharaff’s half measures and dribbles of intelligence in fighting terrorism does not make Pakistan an “excellent ally in the fight on terror”.
Posted by: Don Lester | September 19, 2006, 10:19 pm 10:19 pm
Hmmm. Did Iraq’s national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, force this admission from Musharraf by releasing the Atiya Jazari letter that was captured on Zarqawi’s computer after his death?
In the letter, Jazari told Zarqawi that the “al Qaeda leadership *in Pakistan* and Afghanistan are unhappy with [al Qaeda in Iraq] methods in Iraq [and] criticized [its] method of selectively choosing brutality and violence over mercy and kindness.”
Posted by: Robert Stevens | September 19, 2006, 10:20 pm 10:20 pm
After pakistan declared that they would not use military force or conduct operations against the taliban, why would anyone find this so unbeleivable?Who is really on our side in the real war against terror?
Posted by: Dennis | September 20, 2006, 2:32 am 2:32 am
Perv is doin what he is supposed to do in this world. “Secure $$$ for his country and make sure Pakistan gets a half if not full piece of the regions exploding economy”. As far is Mr Bin Laden is concerned, even if he knew it he would haven been extremely stupid to hand him over because that would be the near end of “WAR ON TERRORISM” (even with a contiued violence)after which Pakistan would no longer be “USEFULL”. And Pakistan has learnt the lesson not to become useless, Unfortunate as it is!!!
Posted by: Ali | September 20, 2006, 3:03 am 3:03 am
Osama bin Laden Is likely flipping hamburgers in New Jersey, least it’s as good as anywhere when we are still just guessing still after 5 years ( of we’ll get him no matter what it takes)
Posted by: HW | September 20, 2006, 8:17 am 8:17 am
I have had a chance to visit those areas and I can tell people that it is the most difficult area and is called tribal area as it has joined Pakistan under a treaty and is not an actual part of Pakistan and that is why the Government has partial control over that region. It is a very difficult area to handle due to its terrain and culture.
Posted by: Fawad Syed | September 20, 2006, 8:30 am 8:30 am
This is good news, how ever some
will still find fault. Hopefully
the Marines do not speak rudely
to him before they shoot him.
This will offend some of our politicians. It could even hurt
Teds feelings.
Posted by: Gerald Watson | September 20, 2006, 8:58 am 8:58 am
To my knowledge, I believed Bin Laden is hidden in Syria because
he wanna to get that closed with
the new government. Osama bin Laden
thinks he very intelligent but I’m
more intelligence than he is. I will
do everything in my power to stop
him from threaten our countries.
How? By praying to God. Smile!
Posted by: Maurice Williams | September 20, 2006, 9:13 am 9:13 am
Honestly, what do we expect this guy do for us? He is President of a Muslim country that views Bin Laden as its hero, and he is supposed to do our bidding? When he did try to support the War on Terror he had 2 assassination plots against him in his own country. Not to mention the fact that his country bought and paid for millions of dollars of fighter jets that we refuse to ship to him.
Pakistan had turned over many many bad guys. Why would he committ political suicide to help us. He does not even want Bin Laden found in his country, much less be the one to turn him over to us.
Posted by: DD | September 20, 2006, 9:33 am 9:33 am
Joe from Dallas
It’s simple for the Republicans to get into power they need something that takes the heat out of what President Bush has presided over ie. Katrina, a record budget deficit, an unpopular war in Iraq, a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan to name but a few. So do you really think the Bush administration is really interested in capturing Osama Bin Laden do you? If they did capture him who could they continue to wheel out and say “Vote for us because he is coming back and we are the guys that will protect you”. Just like they did on 9/11.
Also with Pakistan there is a further problem, Pakistan is a nuclear power.
Posted by: Chris Linthwaite | September 20, 2006, 9:40 am 9:40 am
Joe from Dallas
It’s simple for the Republicans to get into power they need something that takes the heat out of what President Bush has presided over ie. Katrina, a record budget deficit, an unpopular war in Iraq, a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan to name but a few. So do you really think the Bush administration is really interested in capturing Osama Bin Laden do you? If they did capture him who could they continue to wheel out and say “Vote for us because he is coming back and we are the guys that will protect you”. Just like they did on 9/11.
Also with Pakistan there is a further problem, Pakistan is a nuclear power.
Posted by: Chris Linthwaite | September 20, 2006, 9:42 am 9:42 am
Pakistan has struck deals with the terrorists; they are, in fact, harboring them in their country. Hello, Mr. Bush and Co., grab your nutsacks off the floor and come through on your promise to go after the terrorists AND the nations that harbor them.
Posted by: JT | September 20, 2006, 9:50 am 9:50 am
Nothing is more is more important than catching this jerk. Seriously 5 years later now. WOW.
Posted by: BenMurphyNYC | September 20, 2006, 10:05 am 10:05 am
Wow….that like saying you know that I live somewhere on the east coast. Good Lead!
Posted by: Bval | September 20, 2006, 10:12 am 10:12 am
Why Pres. Mush makes announcements only prior to visit US official to paki or when he is in US… lets give him greencard / send Condi to Paki for 6 months, he will reveal the block # of osama
Posted by: Arvin | September 20, 2006, 10:17 am 10:17 am
Why in the world would we wait for Pakistan to go get the SOB?
Where is our will & resolve? Go back and watch the video of those planes hitting the towers!
Where are our leaders? Wouldn’t it be great to have MacArthur, Eisonhower and Patton leading this fight. You think OBL would still be around?
Posted by: Tim McCarty | September 20, 2006, 10:39 am 10:39 am
This is only marginally important. It does, however, raise the question on why Musharraf is choosing to disclose this now.
Posted by: Will Miller | September 20, 2006, 10:41 am 10:41 am
Okay, my thoughts are that now that this information is all over the news, it just gives Bin Laden’s people the heads up that we might be coming. I bet he is packing up and moving right now…so we might have had a chance at catching Bin Laden if President Pervez would have just told us this in private instead of blasting it all over the place and giving Bin Laden’s people the *nudge nudge* that it might be time to move again. Hop on your donkey, Bin Laden…it’s off to another mountainous region before we get you!
Posted by: Tiki - Florida | September 20, 2006, 10:43 am 10:43 am
This guy is in no way wanting to fight terrisom, the only reason he has helped was so he could get billions in aid form the good ole USA. those attempts on his life we just a joke, if they wanted him dead he would be come on government wake up this guy has been filling his pockets since 9/11, he is a dicator in the worse since
Posted by: MikG | September 20, 2006, 10:53 am 10:53 am
Now that Whitney is single, I think he might be in the U.S.
Posted by: John | September 20, 2006, 11:22 am 11:22 am
Pres. Musharaff knows where Bin Laden is however he is not doing anything about it. From what I remember in a speech by the current administration, it was indicated that ‘any nation harbouring terrorits’ will pay the price. Why should Pakistan be any different? All these terrorits are in Pakistan, if they were in another country we would have bombed them by now. Again, I ask what makes Pakistan different.
Posted by: Sanjiv | September 20, 2006, 11:24 am 11:24 am
Why you English boozos don’t understand you are all demons and are destroying the earth you and your best friend Osaman Bin Ladin.
I have question for you fools why does Afghanistan still produce world’s largest production of poppy seeds, couldn’t America have by now sprayed some weed killer on this business by now? But we know better America’s true objectives.
Talking to a Christian is to talk to schizophrenic person who will deny the fact what he his.
We all natives have read your heinous bible and its heroes who practiced incest, rape, murder, genocide and all the crimes know to man, and understand what you very well are.
Don’t lie the world is millions of years old and if burning people at stake you learnt to read their books caused your progress still burning the bible is the highest morality please don’t deny this fact.
Posted by: Sanjay Sehgal | September 20, 2006, 11:47 am 11:47 am
Without a doubt, the Saudi Royal Family knows where their relative IS, Osama Bin Laden … why not ask them?
Posted by: Peter | September 20, 2006, 11:59 am 11:59 am
Guys, Afghanistan is a landlocked country. How do you suppose we would have gotten there without Pakistan’s permission back in 2001/2002? Musharaff only survived one attack because of a jammer that prevented a remote control detonation until after his convoy entourage had passed, and I believe a blown up gas station was involved in the other attack! Pashtun tribesmen predominate the western part of his country and the eastern part of Afghanistan, and aren’t particularly amenable to federal control by either country. He rules an Islamic nation whose people dislike us as much as any other Islamic nation. Considering the circumstances, I think we are pretty lucky he is in power. Would you rather have someone like Iran’s Ahmadinejad with his finger on Pakistan’s nuclear trigger?? It could very easily happen.
If he or we knew the exact location of bin Laden, I suspect a few Predator drones would be overhead posthaste with little protest from Musharaff.
Posted by: Cole | September 20, 2006, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm
Let me pose a question to everyone who is bashing Musharaff and so singlemindedly obsessed with Bin Laden
Which is more important? Getting Bin Laden or keeping a relatively moderate guy in charge so that the Pakistani Nukes are under control?
Which is more important to US security right now?
Sure I like everyone else would love to have BinLaden so I could hang him in the town square.
But It’s not more important than keeping a semi sane individual in charge of Pakistan and it’s Nukes who while their army is not interested in dying just so we can have our vengeance are at least very helpful in the area of shared intelligence that helped stopped the recent Liquid Airline bombers who would have killed far more than OBL did on 9/11!
We will get OBL at some point, he can’t hide in a cave forever! But if we don’t give Musaraff some wiggle room we could be faced with a far worse situation than not having OBL in our grubby hands!
I tell you I fear a pakistani coup that puts some radical in charge of their nukes more than I fear what some frail cave hiding schmuck with a tape recorder can do!
It’s not important to have Pakistan looking like they are doing everything publicly to get BinLaden…We need them more to find the guys with the bombs not the guy with the tape recorder!
And to make sure their nukes never get into the wrong hands!
Posted by: moleary | September 20, 2006, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
what are we going to do when we get OBL, keep him alive and have several farcical trials against him like sadamn
Posted by: ted | September 20, 2006, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
we always hear the same bull,, weapons of mass destruction,, nerve gas,,,planned attacks,,, what is the real problem here,,,,,the Pope referenced it right,,, Muslums need to search their inner souls and find out why so many of them are creating such hell for the rest of the world,,,,,is this a holy war,,, you bet and when will the press,, the president and all the rest of us understand this,,,,it has been going on for over a thousand years,,,,the Musilums have no caring for anyone not with them,, what kind of religion practices this,,, sad but so true,, good luck to all of us and God Bless this world,,, not Alla
Posted by: Jim Kirsch | September 20, 2006, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
I agree with Moleray – we have to keep our eyes on the BIG Picture – we are not only fighting a depraved enemy who cares little who they kill, but we also have an ememy that if they got their hands on a nuke would not hesitate to use it – on anyone – OBL is what he is a target of opportunity when we get credible intelligence and can accurately target him he will be dealt with. We get so wrapped in vengence that we are losing sight of the real goal – proctecting ourselves, and our allies from terrorist. OBL is not going anywhere, and if by chance he gets too bold you can bet there is a bullet or a bomb with his name on it.
Posted by: Gene | September 20, 2006, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
Let’s get real: if the US had ~really~ wanted bin Laden, we’d have had him by now (5 years, 9 days), through hook or crook. There is either a very good reason or, more likely, a very dumb one, why we shifted our heavy hitters from Afghanistan and are now squandering them in the bottomless Iraq cesspool–and not going directly after Enemy #1.
Posted by: Buz man | September 20, 2006, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm
I’ve heard terrorism pundits (yes, that’s now a career path) claim that if the U.S. attacked Bin Laden’s suspected location in Pakistan and succeeded in killing or capturing the world’s most wanted terrorist, Musharaff himself would be toppled and Pakistan would become the first Jihad state with nuclear weapons.
Does this make sense? Yes of course, the Islamic street would go nuts, with rioting and the usual burning and mayhem, but would Musharaff be toppled?
That concern is what the pundits claim has held the U.S. back from aggressively entering Pakistan and eliminating Bin Laden.
Any knowledgeable Pakistanis out there want to venture an opinion?
Posted by: Mark, Oregon | September 20, 2006, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
Majority of the posted messages seem to have come from closed mind americans with short-term memory. Don’t forget who created the Alqaida and the Bin Laden the world knows today. Was it the poor Pakistan or the power greedy US making the people fight the Soviets to maintain its hegemony. You forgot had it not been Pakistan it would have been another Vietnam for US.
Posted by: The truth | September 20, 2006, 7:50 pm 7:50 pm
OBL has a lot of support in the areas he is hiding in, and no one near him is willing to expose him. The way he has operated clearly shows he is smart, canny, and dedicated to his cause. More importantly, he is able to call on a devoted disciple base to do what he needs to have done. I agree with the writer who points out that if OBL is caught or killed, the extremists who support him will go nuts and may very well precipitate the overthrow of musharraf. Then the options the Bush group would see would be invasion or targeted strikes on the Pakistani nukes. Do you really want to know where that will lead? I would rather my children grow up in a world that is troubled, has crazies in it, but where reasonable people are still left with options that don’t lead to one great conflagration after another and armageddon at last.
Posted by: Glen | September 20, 2006, 10:44 pm 10:44 pm
Thanks to Bush and Cheney and their neocons buddies, we could soon end up with a civil war in Iraq (it seems inevitable) and an Islamic militant group in power, a nuclear Iran (seems we are powerless to stop), Syria and Lebanon supporting Hizbolla on Israel’s doorstep, North Korea doing their bit to meddle, a bigger insurgency in Afghanistan (NATO asked for reinforcements today) and, too bad to think about, a nuclear Pakistan with an Islamic extremist in charge. So, I hope you gun-toting, homophobic, religious zealots (= christian extremists) who voted for these two not once but twice have what you want now?
Posted by: James | September 20, 2006, 10:56 pm 10:56 pm
hey cole, how did we get there?….even though Afghanistan is landlocked, I’ve seen all these things in the air lately – I think they’re called planes or helicopters or something…anyway, I hear they can carry PEOPLE too! Just a guess……you idiot!
Posted by: Jay | September 20, 2006, 11:03 pm 11:03 pm
The unfortunate fact is Pakistan has harbored terrorists and criminals for years. Catching OBL is not going to solve the huge mess we have created – I doubt it will even make a small dent. Pakistan is home to several people the US has listed as terrorists and criminals and yet we give them billions in aid. It is good to talk about democracy while we prop up a dictator.
Posted by: GNA | September 20, 2006, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
So he’s somewhere in Pakistan or Afghanistan. Quickly now we’ve got him cornered..
Posted by: tim | September 21, 2006, 1:27 am 1:27 am
Hey Sanjay Sehgal, you’re an idiot! If your post was supposed to make any sense at all, it missed the mark!
Did your mom drop you on your head, man?!
Posted by: Walttis Nee | September 21, 2006, 10:57 am 10:57 am
Mark, Pakistan created the Taliban not AQ…AQ in fact was around long before the Taliban was! Taliban was created long after WTC I, Kobar and the Cole.
Pakistan isn’t bending over backwards or doing EVERYTHING it can to help us fight the war on Terror…But they are doing a hell of a lot more than Iran, Syria, Suadi Arabia and France to help make the world secure from these terrorist islamic crusaders (which is what this really is all about!)
And I dismiss the suggestionn that we took our heavy hitters away from the hunt for OBL…That is nothing but political Dogma and we should stop Letting Howard Dean (and Karl Rove) think for us.
Gene
I’ll pose another Question…Would it be better to have OBL in custody and still be attacked or to have him on the run for the past 5 years without a single attack on US soil?
I was not all that enthusiastic about invading Iraq but this notion that it had nothing to do with 9/11 or terrorism is just plain bunk!
It has EVERYTHING to do with the War on Terror and 9/11 because if not for 9/11 it never would have been able sold to the american people!
It was an example of what will happen if you push us hard enough! Bombing Afghanistan into the Stone ages when it was already there was not going to deter anyone from attacking the US. a democracy in Afghanistan is not going to make any significant changes to the situation in the middle east. A Democracy smack in the middle of the two biggest sponsors of Terror in this world and one friend who could use a bit of democracy will have a much greater impact! And it showed other potential Saddams (like Assad and Kadaffy) that if they could be next if we were pushed to a certain point!
It is the invasion of Iraq that has put the biggest drain on terrorist resources and made some regimes a bit gun shy on helping anyone they think could make them a target. And believe me these countries know who is a problem and who is not better than we do!
We all would love to strangle BinLaden but truth is thats just one throat. I prefer we strangle them all!
We didn’t divert needed resources from getting bin Laden…if anything we diverted resources from the War on Terror just to try and capture a hide we can hang!
There is only one true barometer as to how the War on Terror is going…it has nothing to do with who we captured…
It has to do with what we have stopped! And we may not have OBL but we also have not been attacked again.And that to me is more important than getting a guy we can’t even torture once we do get him!
Posted by: moleary | September 21, 2006, 12:09 pm 12:09 pm
Does any media out let really think any government that is searching for the most dangerous person in the world,let you know what their REAL OPERATIONS and INTENITIONS ARE.
Just as I have stated in the past ABC and the rest of the MSM is not capable of reporting on military or national security issues. Because they do not have a basic working knowledge on how national security policy is formed or you just do not care to learn.
Do you really think Muharaff has stayed in power this long by letting the press know his real intentions, so that it could be blasted all over the airways.
JW
Posted by: JW | September 21, 2006, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
If you can’t find OBL and need to focus the voting American public on the “War on Terror” and get it off Bush’s “War of Choice,” simply leak information to the media that Osama Bin Laden died last month in Pakistan of typhoid. It’s there folks, in a French newspaper. I just read it.
Posted by: Angie | September 23, 2006, 8:22 am 8:22 am
Breaking news :
according to DGSE (french secret services) OBL is dead of thypoid september 4, 2006. They have this info from the Saudis secret services earlier this month. Any info from the CIA ?
Posted by: Martin | September 23, 2006, 8:35 am 8:35 am
Musharraf will never proactively go after bin Laden and why should he? The U.S. already gives his country plenty of aid and leverage for their nominal assistance in fighting the terrorists. His own people would quickly hunt down and kill him should he finger those responsible for hiding Bin Laden. He knows he’s got a sweet deal. Give the Yanks a few tasty bits of intel now and then and reap the rewards of having the world’s largest superpower as your wingman. He’d be a fool to give up Bin Laden with all the Muslims in his country that would be knocking on his door for payback. Let’s not pretend he’s the UK of the Middle East, he’s not. He’s playing the terrorist angle with us all the while selling nuclear know-how out the back door to Iran, Syria, Egypt, and whoever else is willing to pay.
Posted by: boanerges | September 25, 2006, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm
It seems to me that people think that once OBL is captured or killed, the whole “War on Terror” will be over. Think again. If OBL has done ANYTHING, it has been to bend the thoughts of the citizens of the Middle East to believe that the U.S. is demonic, out to get them, etc. Whether he is killed or caught, his ramblings will still echo across the Middle East. He’s more a mascot than a leader.
Posted by: Doug | September 26, 2006, 11:43 am 11:43 am
So, if Osama could be allegedly in Pakistan, why isn’t this guy doing anything to catch him? Could it have anything to do with the former ISI cheif who wired $100,000 to Mohammed Atta?
Posted by: PJ | January 27, 2007, 10:16 pm 10:16 pm
I bet you Osama is over here in the USA somewhere. He is a very smart man. He could have easily slipped past the man and gotten over here. I wouldn’t put it past him. Everyone is saying he’s dead. He ain’t dead. Osama is alive and kicking. You’ll see.
Posted by: morgan | May 15, 2007, 9:53 pm 9:53 pm
iz he our hero o wot
Posted by: aflah | June 4, 2007, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
oswami bin rotten does not matter in the grand scheme of the war on terror. he is just a name. a rat hiding in a hole. great if we get him. there are another 50k nut jobs ready to step up just for the fame. I am just glad that george dubya had the courage to stand up for his convictions and go after all these terrorist.
Posted by: disabledvet46 | August 21, 2007, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
Osama Has-Been Laden is the least of our problem. He is the puppet face for the ones really spearheading everything. Has anyone wondered why we haven’t won the war yet? It’s much easy to spy on your enemies in their own back yard — instead of your own. This war is very valuable in terms of its ability to flush out our real enemies.. as we’re finding out. The spiderweb is very tangled, indeed. The real question is, who is involved because they’re afraid NOT to, and whose heart is really invested in harming us? You can’t find that out over here.
Posted by: lizi | September 10, 2007, 2:34 pm 2:34 pm