al-Qaida No. 2: We Have Briefcase Nukes
SYDNEY, Australia - Osama bin Laden's terror network claims to have bought ready-made nuclear weapons on the black market in central Asia, the biographer of al-Qaida's No. 2 leader was quoted as telling an Australian television station.
In an interview scheduled to be televised on Monday, Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir said Ayman al-Zawahri claimed that "smart briefcase bombs" were available on the black market.
It was not clear when the interview between Mir and al-Zawahri took place.
U.S. intelligence agencies have long believed that al-Qaida attempted to acquire a nuclear device on the black market, but say there is no evidence it was successful.
In the interview with Australian Broadcasting Corp. television, parts of which were released Sunday, Mir recalled telling al-Zawahri it was difficult to believe that al-Qaida had nuclear weapons when the terror network didn't have the equipment to maintain or use them.
"Dr Ayman al-Zawahri laughed and he said `Mr. Mir, if you have $30 million, go to the black market in central Asia, contact any disgruntled Soviet scientist, and a lot of ... smart briefcase bombs are available,'" Mir said in the interview.
"They have contacted us, we sent our people to Moscow, to Tashkent, to other central Asian states and they negotiated, and we purchased some suitcase bombs," Mir quoted al-Zawahri as saying.
Al-Qaida has never hidden its interest in acquiring nuclear weapons.
The U.S. federal indictment of bin Laden charges that as far back as 1992 he "and others known and unknown, made efforts to obtain the components of nuclear weapons."
Bin Laden, in a November 2001 interview with a Pakistani journalist, boasted having hidden such components "as a deterrent." And in 1998, a Russian nuclear weapons design expert was investigated for allegedly working with bin Laden's Taliban allies.
It was revealed last month that Pakistan's top nuclear scientist had sold sensitive equipment and nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea, fueling fears the information could have also fallen into the hands of terrorists.
Earlier, Mir told Australian media that al-Zawahri also claimed to have visited Australia to recruit militants and collect funds.
"In those days, in early 1996, he was on a mission to organize his network all over the world," Mir was quoted as saying. "He told me he stopped for a while in Darwin (in northern Australia), he was ... looking for help and collecting funds."
Australia's Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the government could not rule out the possibility that al-Zawahri visited Australia in the 1990s under a different name.
"Under his own name or any known alias he hasn't traveled to Australia," Ruddock told reporters Saturday. "That doesn't mean to say that he may not have come under some other false documentation, or some other alias that's not known to us."
Mir describe al-Zawahri as "the real brain behind Osama bin Laden."
"He is the real strategist, Osama bin Laden is only a front man," Mir was quoted as saying during the interview. "I think he is more dangerous than bin Laden."
Al-Zawahri — an Egyptian surgeon — is believed to be hiding in the rugged region around the Pakistan-Afghan border where U.S. and Pakistani troops are conducting a major operation against Taliban and al-Qaida forces.
He is said to have played a leading role in orchestrating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
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Okay, here's my take on that.
Mssrs. Bin Laden & al-Zawahri:
While it is probable that you have somehow acquired tactical nuclear weapons, I must strongly caution you against using them at any time and in any way against the United States or her citizens.
While it appears that the tide of Puiblic Opinion here in the United States is turning against George Bush, do not be misled. No American President would tolerate an attack of that kind and retribution against the Islamic World would be swift, devestating and merciless. Even the Isalmic population here in the United States would be targeted for revenge by enraged, non-Muslim citizens.
Should such an attack occur, I can assure you that the United States would be mad enough to invade the entire Middle-East in an attempt to destroy you, and it is my humble opinion that we would succeed.
Therefore, it is in your best interests and the interests of the Islamic World to insure that no further attacks against the United States are made. While I personally think the invasion of Iraq was wrong, I supported the invasion of Afghanistan and I will support any future invasions that may arise as a result of another catastrophic attack on the United States, to the point of exterminating Islam, if necessary, to guarentee our safety.
In short, Mssrs. Bin Laden & al-Zawahri, if it comes down to "you" or "us", it will be "you" every time! To quote an old Italian cliche, "Fuck with the Bull, get the Horn".
Capece?
deuddersun
Update: I realize that this topic could require a lot more room to comment on, therefore, if you feel the need to really state your case, either pro or con, please go to http://www.anywhichway.net/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=9&showtopic=455, as I have copied the entire post there along with comments. The reason for this is simple. Any Which Way offers far more flexibility for posters, no character limit, ample emoticons, etc. Don't worry, I'll still see what ya had to say and so will everyone-else. Welcome to the New Age of Inter-blog/site Connectivity, invented by who-else? deuddersun, Magister Mundi Sum! Go fer it!
