Osama threatens EU over Prophet Cartoon
Mar 19 at 11:11pm by Macranger
“CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Osama bin Laden, in a new audio message posted Wednesday, condemned the publication of drawings that he said insulted the Prophet Muhammad and warned Europeans of a “severe” reaction to come.
The message, which appeared on a militant Web site that has carried al-Qaida statements in the past and bore the logo of the extremist group’s media wing al-Sahab, showed a still image of bin Laden aiming with an assault rifle.
“The response will be what you see and not what you hear and let our mothers bereave us if we do not make victorious our messenger of God,” said a voice believed to be bin Laden’s, without specifying what action would be taken.
The five-minute message, bin Laden’s first this year, made no mention of the fifth anniversary Wednesday of the U.S.-led invasion in Iraq.
It came as the Muslim world marks the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday Thursday and amid the reigniting of a two-year-old controversy over some Danish cartoons deemed by Muslims to be insulting. Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.
Bin Laden described the drawings as taking place in the framework of a “new Crusade” against Islam, in which he said the pope has played a “large and lengthy role.”
Hey Osama, come and get me!
BREAKING: Senior aide to Bin Laden Captured
Mar 14 at 1:01pm by Macranger
Just hitting the wires, update to come. Apparently “aided Bin Laden” is more accurate. There was an operation on March 12th, where Afghan and coalition security forces teamed up this week to repel an enemy attack and seize nearly a dozen suspected insurgents near the Khowst province. They bagged about 11 bad guys.
Still waiting of the details from the media.
“The Pentagon says authorities have captured a high-level al Qaeda figure who helped Osama bin Laden escape from Afghanistan in 2001.
Officials declined to say when or where Mohammad Rahim was captured — announcing only that he was handed over by the Central Intelligence Agency to the Pentagon earlier this week and is being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said Mr. Rahim is a close associate of Mr. bin Laden and has ties to al Qaeda organizations throughout the Middle East.
Mr. Whitman says Mr. Rahim helped prepare the hideout at Tora Bora, a mountain area used by Mr. bin Laden as the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001.”
UPDATE: Via Hot Air, this link reported the capture last August.
Nevertheless, good grab.
Bin Laden losing support in Pakistan
Feb 10 at 10:10am by Macranger
Plummeting poll numbers for Bin Laden in Pakistan:
“ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Sympathy for al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and the Taliban has dropped sharply in Pakistan amid a wave of deadly violence, according to the results of a recent opinion poll.
The survey, conducted last month for the U.S.-based Terror Free Tomorrow organization, also identified the party of assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto as the country’s most popular ahead of Feb. 18 elections, and said most Pakistanis want President Pervez Musharraf to quit.
The poll suggests Pakistanis are looking to peaceful opposition groups after months of political turmoil and a wave of suicide attacks.
In the latest bloodshed, a bomber blew himself up at an opposition rally in the northwestern town of Charsadda on Saturday, killing 27 people and injuring 50.
According to the poll results only 24 percent of Pakistanis approved of bin Laden when the survey was conducted last month, compared with 46 percent during a similar survey in August.
Backing for al-Qaida, whose senior leaders are believed to be hiding along the Pakistani-Afghan border, fell to 18 percent from 33 percent.
Support for the Taliban, whose Pakistani offshoots have seized control of much of the lawless border area and have been engaged in a growing war against security forces, dropped by half to 19 percent from 38 percent, the results said.”
Whether or not this helps in the efforts to get Pakistan to give up Bin Laden remains to be seen. We know he’s been holed up there for a while now, but Musharaff doesn’t have the guts to give him up. Yet he didn’t come out so hot in the polling so who knows, maybe he give up Bin Laden to remain in office?
