Top al Qaeda operative in U.S. custody

[The Heretic]

U.S.: Khalid Shaikh Mohammed planned 9/11 attacks
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/south/03/02/pakistan.arrests/index.html

OOPS! Sorry! I forgot to heed my own advice:

WARNING: Popups are possible on the CNN news site, especially this page. I hate popups!

 

[Linedrive]

I think the apprehention of this individual stresses 2 points...

1) Hopefully some of the cynics that say the US government has forgotten about Al Qaeda and moved onto Iraq will be temporarily passified, this was a major apprehention.

2) It shows the importance cooperating governments can have in the fight against the various terror groups that plague the world.

 

[p_p_man]

With 25 million dollars reward for his capture there's...

one very happy little Pakistani in downtown Karachi tonight...



ppman

 

[The Heretic]

I think the apprehention of this individual stresses 2 points...

1) Hopefully some of the cynics that say the US government has forgotten about Al Qaeda and moved onto Iraq will be temporarily passified, this was a major apprehention.

2) It shows the importance cooperating governments can have in the fight against the various terror groups that plague the world.

Your points are correct, however, it should be noted that Pakistans "cooperation" with the US is a mixed blessing at best; the Pakistani (ISI if I remember right) is actually backing al Qaeda forces we are currently fighting with on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and Osama Bin Laden (or at least his family) escaped Afghanistan with the help of Pakistan.

In short, we have once again made a deal with the devil so we can take the easier road. The devil can continue operate with impunity.

 

[Linedrive]

I've never thought of Pakistan as a close ally, per say in the same sense as Canada or Great Britain. Their motivation for apprehending these terrorists lies in the aid and assistance they are recieving from the west, as well as the direct threat against the current regime in power there.

If you believe the ISI is backing Al Qaeda, why the arrest of Muhammed then...? Just curious.

 

[The Heretic]

I've never thought of Pakistan as a close ally, per say in the same sense as Canada or Great Britain. Their motivation for apprehending these terrorists lies in the aid and assistance they are recieving from the west, as well as the direct threat against the current regime in power there.

Agreed. They were previously thought of as rather hostile to the US, and I believe they still are. My point was that we, as the general public, should be aware that this is a tenuous alliance of convenience for both the US and Pakistan, and that we are actually funding/supporting someone who is actually fighting against us, albeit indirectly. Not new for the US - but something the Bush admin does not really care to make public.

If you believe the ISI is backing Al Qaeda, why the arrest of Muhammed then...? Just curious.

I am not exactly sure. It was no coincidence that this guy was found in the house of a member of the Jamaat Islami. The Pakistani government has to walk a tightrope between keeping the US happy and keeping the Jamaat Islami from pulling down the current coalition government and becoming another al Qaeda/Taliban.

I think this arrest may have been a token given to the Bush admin so it can show some results.

 

[Linedrive]

I agree with the assement of it being an alliance by convience. I know the U.S. has a bad history of arming two bit dictators to benifit the current operation, only to have to return later to face them as a foe...I won't deny that. It's hard to write foreign policy based on how the political landscape will look in 30 years.

I don't envy the position of the Pakistani government at all. And if it was indeed a "token" as your present as a possibility, then it was a pretty good token

 

[HealthisWealth]

Why Pakis caought this Al Qaeda guy

The Pres of Pakis is very pro-US and he knows that till the time US/Bush are going to support him he is safe and rich to take care of all the anti govt. movement. Besides remember he hijacke the control from a democratic government and rubbing shoulders with all the democratically elected presidents and primeministers of the rich countries gets him credibility he so badly needs. So this guy will do everything to keep his master Bush happy.

And that is the reason he is presenting one Al Qaeda operative every 2 months. And I think he will also bresent OBL and get a pat and few brownie points soon.

 

[Linedrive]

Someone please give me a link to a story where the ISI is working with Al Qaeda...? I know the US exported arms through the ISI in the 80's to help the muhajadeen, and I realize there are some connections between the Taliban, Al Qaeda and the Paki's living in the tribal belt. Obviously there is no conclusive evidence, whether you believe it or not, I want the link to the stories you have been reading about the ISI/Al Qaeda relationship if you have it readily available.

 

[The Heretic]

Re: Why Pakis caought this Al Qaeda guy

The Pres of Pakis is very pro-US and he knows that till the time US/Bush are going to support him he is safe and rich to take care of all the anti govt. movement. Besides remember he hijacke the control from a democratic government and rubbing shoulders with all the democratically elected presidents and primeministers of the rich countries gets him credibility he so badly needs.

He may need credibility, but I think the reason he decided to cooperate was we used the old carrot and stick routine on him and he decided to go for the carrot rather than suffer the stick. I think it is a mistake to think of him as "Pro-US" - he is just playing a part to stay in power and prevent his country from falling apart.

So this guy will do everything to keep his master Bush happy.

It is a mistake to think of such people as puppets; they have a bad tendency of biting the hand that feeds them. I understand why they act that way, I just don't agree with our duplicity in keeping the truth of the situation from the American populace.

And that is the reason he is presenting one Al Qaeda operative every 2 months. And I think he will also bresent OBL and get a pat and few brownie points soon.

I don't think Pakistan will give up OBL, not and still have those in power there remain in power.

 

[Purrde Flower]

Re: With 25 million dollars reward for his capture there's...

one very happy little Pakistani in downtown Karachi tonight...



ppman

or a very dead one..

 

[HealthisWealth]

OBL in Pakistan

There are articles on the web that state OBL and his team was picked up by Pakis in helicopeters and brought out of Afghanistan. And trust me an average illiterate paki hates Americans. One crazed up paki recently shot at US consulate and injured 2 pak cops and got arrested. I think when the Govt. is either too far removed from the feelings on the street level or if the Govt. is ignoring the street level feelings instead of educating the people that is a very strong sign that something is going to go bad to worse.

Pakis is a very special example where the Govt. should care about the street level person's feeling and try to change that typical muslim-anti-US feelings by educating them.

All the Dollars being sent over needs to be used for that purpose.

I am in India and the Indians although were pro-USSR and still love there Putin are very pro-US inspite of the fact that they feel that they get Raw deal from US diplomatically and politically.

I would like to hear comments from US based guys and any muslim out there on this.

 

[calypso_21]

I think this arrest may have been a token given to the Bush admin so it can show some results.

I was just going to post exactly this...something to back up his statements of the month prior...interesting how timely.

 

[Linedrive]

I would still like a link to the story claiming Al Qaeda and ISI are in bed together. I'm not saying they are or aren't, I just need to know where you are reading this, for credibility purposes.

 

[The Heretic]

Someone please give me a link to a story where the ISI is working with Al Qaeda...? I know the US exported arms through the ISI in the 80's to help the muhajadeen, and I realize there are some connections between the Taliban, Al Qaeda and the Paki's living in the tribal belt. Obviously there is no conclusive evidence, whether you believe it or not, I want the link to the stories you have been reading about the ISI/Al Qaeda relationship if you have it readily available.

I don't have a link (yet). I didn't read the story, I watched it on PBS. A well respected journalist was being interviewed on the subject. He wasn't anti-US, he actually sounded apologetic (or pragamatic) for the fact that the US was doing this. Several of his sources are US intelligence assets in Pakistan and Afgahnistan.

 

[The Heretic]

I was just going to post exactly this...something to back up his statements of the month prior...interesting how timely.

Huh what? Oh sorry, I was perving on your Av again.

 

[Linedrive]

I believe Muhammad was arrested because US intelligence was tracking him hand in hand with the ISI. Whether the ISI would've taken him if they alone knew where he was is up for debate. The second any US opperative got wind of his location, the ISI had no choice at that point than to assist in the operation.

I don't think it was the ISI finding and subduing this guy as a token gesture, a US presence was right along side them.

 

[HealthisWealth]

Link for AQ and ISI story

www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2001/ 10/30/stories/03300007.htm

Basically from an Indian Newspaper following up a NYT report

 

[The Heretic]

Take the space out of the URL and it will be clickable and still work.

 

[calypso_21]

Huh what? Oh sorry, I was perving on your Av again.

Do I have to put up an old school marm to be heard in a political thread??

 

[HealthisWealth]

Sunnat...Circumcision Muslim Style

I also need to understand why are Muslims so very cruel when it comes to killing fellow human beings .... the case in point being Daniel Pearl.

I think this has something to do with there circumcision ceremony they call sunnat that is done in such a cruel and gross manner that they loose all love and respect for their parents (and every other human being) who do not protect the little child at that point in time and grow up vindictive and are not afraid to kill and get killed.

Any comments...

 

[Linedrive]

Thanks for the link...interesting reading. The impression I recieved is that the ISI might have had links to Al Qaeda, while more than likely they had their hand in activities going on in Kashmir. This was all pre 9-11 if I am reading correctly, has not the level of US-Pakistani cooperation changed significantly in the past year...?

I am not racist or predjudice against anyone for their skin color, religion, etc....but I ask this question. Would the India media not portray a relationship between the ISI and Al Qaeda for personel reasons...?

 

[calypso_21]

Re: Sunnat...Circumcision Muslim Style

I also need to understand why are Muslims so very cruel when it comes to killing fellow human beings .... the case in point being Daniel Pearl.

I think this has something to do with there circumcision ceremony they call sunnat that is done in such a cruel and gross manner that they loose all love and respect for their parents (and every other human being) who do not protect the little child at that point in time and grow up vindictive and are not afraid to kill and get killed.

Any comments...

I think that this is one of those things that one will never truly understand. You could try as you might but our sense of rightness will always cloud absolute understanding.

 

[HealthisWealth]

Indian Media

Sure Indian media will be biased...but the point is Muslim is not anybody's freind. They are not even their own freinds.

I and lot of my Indian freinds Hindu and Muslims think that if Kashmir is handed to Pakis they will come up with something else to keep on Jihading and als screw up Kashmir. They are doing that to their own country anyways and they did it to East Paki which is Bangladesh now

Have you read a book titled The Haj by Leon Uris. Depicts what Islam is all about.

 

[The Heretic]

Do I have to put up an old school marm to be heard in a political thread??

Yes.

Sorry. I just have this thing for beautiful young bodies - especially when they look likethey just came out of the shower.

Besides, I am allowed to hijack my own threads.