There are a few reports from around the world that I found that indicated that Osama bin-Laden had died. One report
from a French newspaper said that Osama bin-Laden died on August 23, 2006 of typhoid fever. However,
if Benazir Bhutto is to be taken at her word, this report cannot be true because Omar Sheikh has been in Pakistani police custody since February 2002 for the murder of Daniel Pearl.However, some other reports, which seem to make some sense, indicated that Osama bin-Laden died in December 2001. An Egyptian newspaper called
al-Wafd published
the following article (Volume 15 No 4633) on December 26th, 2001:
A prominent official in the Afghan Taleban movement announced yesterday the death of Osama bin Laden, the chief of al-Qa’da organization, stating that binLaden suffered serious complications in the lungs and died a natural and quiet death. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, stated to
The Observer of Pakistan that he had himself attended the funeral of bin Laden and saw his face prior to burial in Tora Bora 10 days ago. He mentioned that 30 of al-Qa’da fighters attended the burial as well as members of his family and some friends from the Taleban. In the farewell ceremony to his final rest guns were fired in the air. The official stated that it is difficult to pinpoint the burial location of bin Laden because according to the Wahhabi tradition no mark is left by the grave. He stressed that it is unlikely that the American forces would ever uncover any traces of bin Laden.If the funeral took place 10 days before this article was published in
al-Wafd and
The Observer of Pakistan,
this would put the death of Osama bin-Laden around the 16th or 17th of December 2001. Israeli intelligence officials also told reporters in October 2002 that they and United States officials believe that Osama bin-Laden had been killed in December 2001.If you look at a timeline of events involving Osama bin-Laden, ignoring the questionable videotapes,
there is a noticeable shift in the type of communication Osama bin-Laden has with the world and the rhetoric used by Bush Administration and Pakistani officials in regards to the threat Osama bin-Laden poses starting in the middle of December 2001. Some highlights:
September 15, 2001 – President Bush says of bin-Laden, “If he thinks he can hide and run fromtheUnited States and our allies, he will be sorely mistaken.”
September 17, 2001 – President Bush says, “I want justice. And there’s an old poster out West, I recall, that says, ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive.’”
November 7, 2001 – Pakistani reporter Hamid Mir interviews Osama bin-Laden in person.
November 16, 2001 – Battle of Tora Bora begins.
November 25, 2001 – Osama bin-Laden gives his last known public speech to his followers inMilawa, Afghanistan, a villagelocated on the route from Tora Bora to the Pakistani border.
November 28, 2001 – Osama bin-Laden reportedly escapes Tora Bora
December 15, 2001 – Osamabin-Laden’s voice is reportedly intercepted for the last time communicating with his fighters in Tora Bora via his shortwave radio
December 17, 2001 – US Intelligence and Pentagon officials admit they have lost Osama bin-Laden
December 17, 2001 – United States declares victory at Tora Bora
December 26, 2001 – Article about Osama bin-Laden’s funeral is published in Pakistan and Egypt. The funeral allegedly takes place about 10 days earlier. The article is also discussed by
Fox News.
December 28, 2001 – President Bush says, “Our objective is more than bin-Laden”
January 18, 2002 – Pakistani dictatorPervez Musharraf tells CNN that he believes Osama bin-Ladento be dead
January 27, 2002 – Vice President Dick Cheney says that Osama bin-Laden “isn’t that big of a threat. Bin Laden connected to this worldwide organization of terror is a threat.”
January 27, 2002 – White House Chief of Staff Andy Card tells CNN, “”I do not know for a fact that he’s alive. I happen to believe he’s probably alive… Our overall objective is to defeat terrorism, wherever it is around the world. And so, our objective is not to get Osama bin Laden.”
January 29, 2002 – President Bush delivers his first State of the Union address since 9/11. While he labels Iraq, Iran, and North Korea the “axis of evil”, he fails to mention Osama bin-Laden at all.
March 13, 2002 – President Bush says, “Deep in my heart I know the man is on the run, if he’s alive at all… He’s a person who’s now been marginalized.… I just don’t spend that much time on him.… I truly am not that concerned about him.”
April 4, 2002 – Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Richard Myers says, “The goal has never been to get bin-Laden”
October 14, 2002 – President Bush says, “I don’t know whether bin-Laden is alive or dead”
October 16, 2002 – Middle East Newsline reports that Israeli Intelligence officials confirmed that Israel and the United States believe Osama bin-Laden was killed in mid-December 2001 during the Tora Bora bombing campaign.
This timeline, with Osama bin-Laden’s death allegedly occurring in the middle of December 2001, makes it possible that Omar Sheikh could have committed the murder. From October 2001 through January 19, 2002, Omar Sheikh was living openly in his home in Lahore, Pakistan. His positions as leader of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (a Taliban and Osama bin-Laden partner) and ISI agent (the source of funds for Harkat-ul-Mujahideen) would also have given him means for access to Osama bin-Laden.
While it is disturbing that Benazir Bhutto may have revealed that our government has been (and continues to be) lying to us about Osama The Big Bad Wolf, the revelation that his supposed killer was Omar Sheikh raises even more questions than the obvious ‘Who the hell is making and releasing all those Osama bin-Laden videos and for what purpose?'”
The bad part is – try as I might – I only know One other person who would even be able to comprehend what the bold part in red meant.
I’m reminded of the scene in the Gandhi film where [Martin Sheen?] was describing some brutality the empire was doing… only, this time, “The World” doesn’t give a rats ass.
Which leads one to think: “it” never did.”
And, what is, “it”?