Bin Laden likely lives in comfy safehouse, intel experts say
BY JAMES GORDON MEEK
New York DAILY NEWS
WASHINGTON - Osama Bin Laden isn't hiding in caves. He's almost certainly living in a cozy compound in Pakistan guarded by a few loyal fanatics, a dozen terror experts and intel officials told the Daily News.
The group of veteran Bin Laden hunters say the cave-dwelling myth is one of many tall tales about the Al Qaeda kingpin, including reports that the renegade Saudi is dying of kidney disease.
Six years after the 9/11 attacks, many Americans don't understand why he's so hard to find and kill. Frustrated agents say he skulks across some of the most hostile terrain in the world and that Pakistan refuses to let U.S. troops chase him there.
The futility of efforts to permanently silence Bin Laden was brought home Friday when he released his first video message since 2004, a 26-minute, anti-U.S. diatribe.
In the jagged peaks of the Afghan-Pakistani border, a good Bin Laden hideout typically would be a simple adobe house surrounded by a high mud-brick wall - perfect for defending a monster.
"He's probably not living in a cave," said Robert Grenier, the ex-CIA Pakistan station chief who helped topple the Taliban after 9/11 and chased Bin Laden afterward.
"He's probably living in a fairly comfortable, though Spartan, compound somewhere in northern Pakistan," Grenier said.
All of those interviewed by The News - including several top intelligence officials with the highest security clearances - agreed.
(Continued here.)
New York DAILY NEWS
WASHINGTON - Osama Bin Laden isn't hiding in caves. He's almost certainly living in a cozy compound in Pakistan guarded by a few loyal fanatics, a dozen terror experts and intel officials told the Daily News.
The group of veteran Bin Laden hunters say the cave-dwelling myth is one of many tall tales about the Al Qaeda kingpin, including reports that the renegade Saudi is dying of kidney disease.
Six years after the 9/11 attacks, many Americans don't understand why he's so hard to find and kill. Frustrated agents say he skulks across some of the most hostile terrain in the world and that Pakistan refuses to let U.S. troops chase him there.
The futility of efforts to permanently silence Bin Laden was brought home Friday when he released his first video message since 2004, a 26-minute, anti-U.S. diatribe.
In the jagged peaks of the Afghan-Pakistani border, a good Bin Laden hideout typically would be a simple adobe house surrounded by a high mud-brick wall - perfect for defending a monster.
"He's probably not living in a cave," said Robert Grenier, the ex-CIA Pakistan station chief who helped topple the Taliban after 9/11 and chased Bin Laden afterward.
"He's probably living in a fairly comfortable, though Spartan, compound somewhere in northern Pakistan," Grenier said.
All of those interviewed by The News - including several top intelligence officials with the highest security clearances - agreed.
(Continued here.)
Powered by Blogger
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home