Osama bin Laden has died...according to the French

Politics International Politics
#1

Reports are coming in…

[quote]Ousama Ben Laden serait mort, selon l’Est républicain

PARIS (AP) - Le numéro un du réseau terroriste Al-Qaïda, Ousama Ben Laden, serait mort, selon des informations des services de sécurité saoudiens transmis à la Direction générale des services extérieurs (DGSE), rapporte le quotidien lorrain L’Est républicain dans son édition de samedi.

“Selon une source habituellement fiable, les services saoudiens de sécurité auraient acquis la conviction qu’Oussama Ben Laden est mort”, dit une note de la DGSE du 21 septembre classée “confidentiel défense” et publiée par L’Est républicain dans son édition de samedi. La note, précise le quotidien, aurait toutefois été enregistrée dans les informations “non recoupées” par la DGSE.

Selon la note publiée par l’Est républicain, les services saoudiens de sécurité “atteindraient d’obtenir davantage de détails, et notamment le lieu de son inhumation, pour annoncer officiellement la nouvelle”. Dans cette note, la DGSE précise qu’aucun “site Internet djihadiste n’est pour l’instant fait l’écho de la mort d’Ousama Ben Laden”.

D’après la même note, “le chef d’Al-Qaïda aurait été victime, alors qu’il se trouvait au Pakistan le 23 août 2006, d’une très forte crise de typhoïde” et y aurait succombé dans les jours suivants.

Les services français du renseignement auraient transmis cette note au Président de la République, au Premier ministre et aux ministres de l’Intérieur et de la Défense le 21 septembre, selon le quotidien régional, qui ajouté qu’une première note transmise le 19 septembre aux dirigeants de l’Etat français expliquait que les services saoudiens “cherchaient à confirmer la mort d’Ousama Ben Laden”. AP
fr.news.yahoo.com/23092006/5/ous … icain.html[/quote]

In English -

[quote]PARIS (AP) - The head of terrorist network al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, has died, according to information from the Saudi police, transmitted by the Directorate-General of External Services (DGSE), and reported on the Lorraine daily newspaper L’Est republicain in its Saturday edition.

“According to a commonly reliable source, the Saudi police believes that Osama Bin Laden has died,” said a September 21st confidential note from the DGSE classified as “defense.” L’Est republicain will publish it in its Saturday edition. The note, specified the daily newspaper, would be re-printed “un-edited.”

According to the note to be published by the L’Est republicain, the Saudi police “would try to obtain more details, in particular the location of the burial site, and then announce the news officially.” The DGSE specified in the note that no “jihadist Internet site has for the moment been made aware of the death of Osama bin Laden.”

According to the note, “the head of al Qaeda may have fallen victim to a strong case of typhoid fever while in Pakistan, on August 23, 2006,” and may have died within a matter of days.

The French news organization transmitted this note to the President of France, to the Defense and Prime Minister and the Ministers of the Interior Department on September 21, according to the regional daily newspaper, which added that a prior note transmitted on September 19th to the leaders of France explained why the Saudi police “sought to confirm the death of Osama bin Laden.”[/quote]

#2

And…

[quote]French paper reports bin Laden dead
Unnamed Saudi police sources attribute demise to typhoid fever
Posted: September 23, 2006
2:03 a.m. Eastern, © 2006 WorldNetDaily.com

Osama bin Laden died within days of contracting typhoid fever in Pakistan last month, according to unnamed Saudi police sources quoted today in the French daily L’Est Republicain.

“According to a commonly reliable source, the Saudi police believe that Osama Bin Laden has died,” said a Sept. 21 confidential note transmitted by the Directorate-General of External Services.

(Story continues below)[/quote]

#3

Wow I hope that is true. Nothing from any of the big News networks yet.

#4

from Reuters:

[quote]French paper says bin Laden died in Pakistan
23 Sep 2006 07:51:24 GMT, Source: Reuters

PARIS, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A French regional newspaper quoted a French secret service report on Saturday as saying that Saudi Arabia is convinced that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden died of typhoid in Pakistan last month.

L’Est Republicain printed what it said was a copy of the report dated Sept. 21 and said it was shown to President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and France’s interior and defence ministers on the same day.

“According to a usually reliable source, the Saudi services are now convinced that Osama bin Laden is dead,” the document said.

“The information gathered by the Saudis indicates that the head of al Qaeda was a victim while he was in Pakistan on Aug. 23, 2006, of a very serious case of typhoid which led to a partial paralysis of his internal organs.”

The report, which was stamped with a “confidential defence” label and the initials of the French secret service, said Saudi Arabia first heard the information on Sept. 4 and that it was waiting for more details before making an official announcement.

Officials contacted by Reuters in Chirac’s and Villepin’s offices had no immediate comment.

A senior official in Pakistan’s interior ministry said: “We have no information about Osama’s death.”

Saudi-born Bin Laden was based in Afghanistan until the Taliban government there was overthrown by U.S.-backed forces in late 2001. Since then, U.S. and Pakistani officials have regularly said they believe he is hiding somewhere on the rugged border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The last videotaped message released by bin Laden was in late 2004, but there have been several low quality audio tapes released this year.
(Additional reporting by Islamabad bureau)
alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L23801953.htm[/quote]

#5

Oh, I hope not. I reeeeeeaaaaaaallllllllly hope not.
That bastard doesn’t get to escape justice. No, no, no.
I want to see him in the dock.

edit:

[quote=“Reuters”]A U.S. intelligence official told Reuters the report should be treated with caution and a senior Pakistan government official said Islamabad had not received any information from any foreign government that would corroborate the story.

The Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry spokesman was not available for comment and a Western diplomat in Riyadh said the diplomatic community had no such information.

“If anyone was in the picture, I doubt it would be Saudi intelligence. Even if Saudi Arabia had information, they’d pass it on to the United States, not France. It doesn’t ring true,” the diplomat said.[/quote]
And I can’t see that tidbit being kept secret long, so here’s hoping he’s alive to be judged.

#6

Yes. It’s too bad if he got away with it. Like unpaid taxes. If you die first, you won.

#7

What are the US doing to find him? Oh that’s right, bombing Iraq.

#8

Does this post express your ignorance of the Coalition Forces efforts in Afghanistan as well as the Pakistani, and other actors, efforts on the mountainous areas of Pakistan?
Is this what you’re telling us?

#9

How many troops are in Iraq?
How many troops are in Afghanistan?
How many caves are in Afghanistan and Pakistan?
How much faster could the troops in Afghanistan search all those caves, and take care of Pakistan, if their buddies in Iraq were there to help out?

Who would you rather have on trial today, Saddam, or Bin Laden?

#10

Latest in-

[quote]US ‘cannot confirm’ bin Laden report
From correspondents in Washington
September 23, 2006 09:50pm
Article from: Reuters

THE U.S. government is unable to confirm a French newspaper report that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is believed to have died last month in Pakistan, a U.S. counterterrorism official said today.

“We cannot confirm the account,” said the official, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak publicly about the issue. “It’s quite possible (that) there was some talk of this, but in terms of being able to confirm this, that I can’t do.”
news.com.au/story/0,23599,20 … 02,00.html[/quote]

#11

They should drive a wooden stake through his heart and chop off his head to be sure he’s dead. Wish they had done that to Nixon, I hear he still prowls around the grounds in Yorba Linda.

#12

Does this post express your ignorance of the Coalition Forces efforts in Afghanistan as well as the Pakistani, and other actors, efforts on the mountainous areas of Pakistan?
Is this what you’re telling us?[/quote]

No. Truant just appears to be someone who’s fucking pathetic enough to think it’s cool to be anti-USA.

#13

Poor bastard … dying this way doesn’t give hime the right to seventy something virgins, he 'd better blew himself up in a suicide bombing … :smiley:

#14

Does this post express your ignorance of the Coalition Forces efforts in Afghanistan as well as the Pakistani, and other actors, efforts on the mountainous areas of Pakistan?
Is this what you’re telling us?[/quote]

No. Truant just appears to be someone who’s fucking pathetic enough to think it’s cool to be anti-USA.[/quote]

Mer, first, you obviously don’t know Truant. Second, if you attack someone as “fucking pathetic” simply for airing criticism of a politician’s policies (and a particularly moronic one at that), then you don’t appear to understand the meaning of civil discourse in an atmosphere of mutual respect as required by this forum’s rules, which I’d suggest you start by reading. Third, if you think criticism of Bush’s policies makes one anti-American, then you don’t understand the meaning of free speech and democracy. Fourth, Truant’s point was a very valid criticism of Bush’s failure to go after the #1 terrorist with enough forces, while getting us bogged down in an unnecessary war in a country which had no significant links to terrorism.

Now, back to the topic. Bin Laden has been reported dead before, so I remain pretty skeptical (albeit not pretty).

#15

C.I.A. Closes Unit Focused on Capture of bin Laden

[quote]WASHINGTON, July 3 — The Central Intelligence Agency has closed a unit that for a decade had the mission of hunting Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants, intelligence officials confirmed Monday.

{…}

The realignment reflects a view that Al Qaeda is no longer as hierarchical as it once was, intelligence officials said, and a growing concern about Qaeda-inspired groups that have begun carrying out attacks independent of Mr. bin Laden and his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Agency officials said that tracking Mr. bin Laden and his deputies remained a high priority, and that the decision to disband the unit was not a sign that the effort had slackened. Instead, the officials said, it reflects a belief that the agency can better deal with high-level threats by focusing on regional trends rather than on specific organizations or individuals.

{…}

Michael Scheuer, a former senior C.I.A. official who was the first head of the unit, said the move reflected a view within the agency that Mr. bin Laden was no longer the threat he once was.

Mr. Scheuer said that view was mistaken.

“This will clearly denigrate our operations against Al Qaeda,” he said. “These days at the agency, bin Laden and Al Qaeda appear to be treated merely as first among equals.”
[/quote]

Doesn’t quite provide the same perspective about the Osama priority does it…

Carry on.

#16

Alright, if anyone thinks I went too far with my saying ‘fucking pathetic’ for Truant or anyone else airing criticism of a politician’s policies, then I apologize for that. I could have been more appropriate.

It just seems to me though that many of Truant’s posts are distinctively anti-American, conspiracy theories, blame Bush for everything, blah, blah, blah…and this latest bit didn’t seem much different.

I disagree with his criticism of what the USA is or isn’t doing to bring a piece of garbage like bin Laden to justice. May I?

I don’t think criticism of Bush’s policies makes one anti-American. I understand free speech and democracy. Take it easy partner. No need to suppose what I am or am not aware of.

Your agreeing with Truant’s assessment of Bush’s actions is also just your opinion. Don’t forget that when trying to school me on what you think is going on.

#17

Does this post express your ignorance of the Coalition Forces efforts in Afghanistan as well as the Pakistani, and other actors, efforts on the mountainous areas of Pakistan?
Is this what you’re telling us?[/quote]No. Truant just appears to be someone who’s fucking pathetic enough to think it’s cool to be anti-USA.[/quote]
Mer, first, you obviously don’t know Truant. Second, if you attack someone as “fucking pathetic” simply for airing criticism of a politician’s policies (and a particularly moronic one at that), then you don’t appear to understand the meaning of civil discourse in an atmosphere of mutual respect as required by this forum’s rules, which I’d suggest you start by reading. Third, if you think criticism of Bush’s policies makes one anti-American, then you don’t understand the meaning of free speech and democracy. Fourth, Truant’s point was a very valid criticism of Bush’s failure to go after the #1 terrorist with enough forces, while getting us bogged down in an unnecessary war in a country which had no significant links to terrorism.
Now, back to the topic. Bin Laden has been reported dead before, so I remain pretty skeptical (albeit not pretty).[/quote]DB -
Is that the “Mexican” perspective on this episode?

Didn’t know that Truant needed a ‘helper.’

As to the veracity of this news bit…No body, no bounty.

#18

[quote=“TainanCowboy”]DB -
Is that the “Mexican” perspective on this episode?
[/quote]

No, it’s a thinking American’s perspective.

#19

[quote=“Dragonbones”][quote=“TainanCowboy”]DB -
Is that the “Mexican” perspective on this episode?
[/quote]No, it’s a thinking American’s perspective.[/quote]
Oh gee…so any “American” - quite a deceptive cop-out, Dude, you admitted you’re from Illinois or Iowa or some place in the USA - who has a different take than you is not a “Thinking” person?

That may work with the kids but not with adults. You’re just avoiding the Q.
Understandable, of course, but not really answering the question.
But hey…thats your choice… :smiley:

#20

So, is this true? I hope so I hope so I hope so…