AUSTIN, Sept. 9, 2007
Reporting The Bin Laden Beat
Journalist Lawrence Wright Knows More About Al Qaeda's Leader Than Many CIA Operatives
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Wright told CBS News correspondent David Martin that many of the assumptions made about bin Laden are untrue. (CBS)
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Journalist Lawrence Wright travelled throughout the Middle East to learn everything he could about Osama bin Laden. His Pulitzer Prize-winning book has become the Bible for those tracking the al Qaeda leader. (CBS)
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"My Trip to al Qaeda," a one-man play Wright adopted from his book, has played off-Broadway (not far from Ground Zero) and is headed for Washington, D.C. (CBS)
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Interactive Bin Laden & Al Qaeda Where al Qaeda operates, who's been caught, how they're financed and a timeline of attacks on Americans.
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Interactive Hunting Bin Laden See the Bin Laden tapes and follow the manhunt.
Wright's book - "The Looming Tower, Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11" (Vintage paperback) - won this year's Pulitzer Prize, and he's now turned it into a one-man play.
"I thought it would be interesting to open up a dialogue in a more intimate fashion with the American people about who these people are, why they attacked America," he told CBS News correspondent David Martin.
Before 9/11, Wright was a bored reporter-turned-Hollywood screenwriter. In 1998 he co-wrote a movie called "The Siege," which in some respects creepily anticipated the events of 9/11. It was about terrorism in New York and what would happen to our country if terror came to the United States.
"It was a box office failure, but it was the most rented movie in America after 9/11," Wright said. Despite marquee names like Denzel Washington and Bruce Willis, the movie bombed, Wright said, because "Muslim and Arab protestors picketed the theaters. They were furious at being stereotyped as terrorists."
Lost in the headlines about al Qaeda's bombing of two American embassies in August 1998, was another explosion in a restaurant in Capetown, South Africa.
"A radical Islamist group claimed credit for this bombing at Planet Hollywood, which cost the lives of two British tourists. A little girl lost her leg. And they said they were protesting the trailers that were in the theaters for 'The Seige' in America. And that really, really upset me," he said.
Then came 9/11, which Wright watched on television from his home in Austin.
"People said, 'You know, it looks like a movie,' and I was thinking, 'Yeah, it looks like my movie,'" Wright said.
A few days later Wright read a brief obituary for John O'Neill, the one-time head of counterterrorism for the FBI who had become the director of security at the World Trade Center and died in the 9/11 attack.
"I thought, 'Here's a story,'" Wright said. "The man who was in charge of getting Osama bin Laden didn't get bin laden; bin Laden got him."
To get that story Wright needed to succeed where the CIA and FBI had failed. He set out to penetrate al Qaeda.
"I trust the reporting profession," he said. "I mean, the rules of journalism, and try to talk to everybody and be as fair as possible. And I spent, you know, nearly five years talking to everyone I could, and I would always ask them who else I should talk to."
To find people who knew bin Laden, he went to work at a local newspaper in Saudi Arabia. He would break his search down by the individuals who know bin Laden, like his first wife Najua. He would find out everything he could about her and jot the information down on note cards.
Compare Wright's study to the operations centers the U.S. government has constructed in its so far fruitless effort to track bin Laden. His strategy was somewhat old-fashioned.
"I feel like a 1960s graduate student," Wright said. "I still work on note cards. I've never found a better system."
He traveled to 12 countries, interviewed more than 600 people and compiled 82 legal pads - about 4,600 pages - of handwritten notes, all meticulously indexed. He eventually produced a book that is now called "the Bible" by intelligence agents and analysts still pursuing bin Laden.
His first break came in Egypt, home of bin Laden's deputy Ayman al Zawahiri.
"I had no idea when I went there how key Zawahiri was," Wright said. "He seemed to be the Colonel Parker to bin Laden's Elvis. But turns out as I began to investigate him, I realized that he was really the key ideologue and the organizer of al Qaeda."
Zawahiri played a minor role in the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadar and was put on trial with the other plotters. A physician by training, Zawahiri spoke English and became their spokesman.
In Saudi Arabia Wright started filling in the details of bin Laden's life, a portrait at odds with the urban myths put out by the CIA.
"If you could take your mind back to the kinds of things that we thought we knew about bin Laden back then, that he was, you know, a billionaire as the CIA said, that he was a physical giant, that he had kidney disease, none of those things is true," Wright said. "I talked to everybody who knew him. I'd say, 'How tall is he?' within a centimeter or so. His closest friends say he was a little over six feet."
The reason he looks so tall, Wright said, is because he surrounds himself with shorter Yemeni bodyguards who make him look as tall as 6'5".
Wright was frequently accused of being a spy, an accusation which cost another reporter, Daniel Pearl, his life. Wright says he was too busy juggling the dual roles of reporter and American citizen to be a spy.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 39 CommentsWhenever anyone sees a post by Lars, please do your best to discredit his insanity!
NOT ONE ISLAMIC COUNTRY GRANTS EQUAL RIGHTS...
WHY???
Arab citizens of Israel............ Israel''''s Declaration of Independence called for equal treatment under the law of all its citizens, regardless of their beliefs or national origin. Arab Israelis have had political representation since the state''''s first parliamentary assembly; currently, thirteen members of the Israeli Parliament are Arab-Israeli, most representing majority Arab political parties. An Arab-Israeli judge also sits on the Supreme Court,[11] and an Arab Israeli is next in line to the acting presidency (and has assumed role as such for a week-long period).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_citizens_of_Israel
Myths & Facts Online Human Rights in Israel and the Territories
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mf18.html
None Of Us Are Free - Lynyrd Skynyrd
http://www.lyrics007.com/Lynyrd%20Skynyrd%20Lyrics/None%20Of%20Us%20Are%20Free%20Lyrics.html
WHY IS IT NOT ONE MUSLIM COUNTRY GRANTS EQUAL RIGHTS TO NON MUSLIMS?
FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM SAYS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATES ISLAM LAW...
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
For example, in 1981, the Iranian representative to the United Nations, Said Rajaie-Khorassani, articulated the position of his country regarding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by saying that the UDHR was "a secular understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition", which could not be implemented by Muslims without trespassing the Islamic law.
http://www.un.org/terrorism/
http://www.un.org/terrorism/strategy-counter-terrorism.html
http://www.un.org/
But the accepted assumption in India is that most of India''s Muslims were converted to Islam through the sword. Meaning the Indians were given an option between death or adopting Islam. The third option was getting examined in Islam religion along with heavy taxes- Jeziya (poll tax) and Kharaj (property tax).
http://adaniel.tripod.com/Islam.htm
this is what fascist nazi islam calls peace....
are you ready to live under islam rule as a non muslim???
apartheid fascist nazi islamic style
Rights of Non-Muslims in an Islamic State
http://www.sullivan-county.com/id3/islamic_state.htm
-- Political reconciliation has to come 1st - Not security,,,, Then & Only then can they begin to get the Iraq''i Army & Police up to speed.
Unlike those REPUBLICANS, who were offended by Sir Bill Clinton''''s affair with MS Monica Lewinsky, I have no problem if your god made MARY pregnant with JESUS. I''''ll never allow your ANTI-AMERICAN, RACIST and UNJUST god to come into US politics, screw United States and make her pregnant with HATRED, TERRORISM and 9/11 for a NON-AMERICAN LAND, A NON-AMERICAN ISSUE and NON-AMERICAN PEOPLE.
USAisdway98
Where you at? Are you waiting on SANTA CLAUSE to come on a flying deer to distribute candies or paying THE FATHER, THE SON and THE HOLY SPIRIT like your brothers, FOLEY, CRAIG, etc.
,,, What''s coming out is the sketchy security progress won''t go any further, untill Political reconciliation is made, & that is about as far along as it was 3 years ago.
,, The complete oppisite from what the White House & GOP puts out,,,, & that might take 12 to 18 more months to see much on.
,, Then & only then can they start to get it together enough to begin to start on getting the security they need
'' ... i underestimated a tiny nest of sweat bees once, their ability to misinterpret the facts ... i underestimated a globe of folk once, their ability to misinterpret the facts ... it seems they really do thing investing in noncharity and taxation, in get sick tax world, in the wealthy and the strong is the same as investing in charity and non taxation, in get well feed world, in the poor and the weak ... ''
'' ... the garden was crafted of useless star swallowing compost that craves to breathe and drink ... and to dance like haphazard moss draped across haphazard bones of branches swishing around in haphazard dirt splintered with speckles of drip air and drip water and drip fertile ... ''
Re: "Lawrence Wright is a member of an average bar band that plays in Austin, Tex. - average in all respects except Wright, the keyboardist, probably knows more about Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda than any American in or out of government, with or without a top secret clearance."
Does Lawrence Wright know that the latest "Osama" video is a sloppy hoax, produced by the phony propaganda clearinghouses, called IntelCenter and the SITE Institute?
Does Lawrence Wright know that "al-Qaeda-in-Iraq" is little more than a Made-in-USA psy-ops hoax, aimed at demonizing the legitimate Iraqi armed resistance of the illegal invasion of their country, at providing a reason to continue the illegal invasion where no such reason exists, at supplying a fictitious ex-post-facto "link" to Saddam and the events of 9/11/01, and so forth?
Because if he does not know these things, then Mr. Wright does not know squat, and lacks any ability to detect the difference between sh*t and shinola.
Unlike those REPUBLICANS, who were offended by Sir Bill Clinton''s affair with MS Monica Lewinsky, I have no problem if your god made MARY pregnant with JESUS. I''ll never allow your ANTI-AMERICAN, RACIST and UNJUST god to come into US politics, screw United States and make her pregnant with HATRED, TERRORISM and 9/11 for a NON-AMERICAN LAND, A NON-AMERICAN ISSUE and NON-AMERICAN PEOPLE.
CHRISTIANITY is PSYCHOSIS and CHRISTIANS are PSYCHOTICS.
This world was much better off with PSYCHOTIC CHRISTIANS playing "THE FATHER", "THE SON" and "THE HOLY SPIRIT" in the churches then to come into US politics and SODOMIZE United States (the holy, god-loving, conservative, republican-supporter, christian man is "THE FATEHR", that young innnocent little boy whose pant is pulled down in the name of god is "THE SON" and what is inserted in the BACK HOLE of that innocent boy is "THE HOLY SPIRIT").
There is no reason, why American money and American lives should be wasted for NON-AMERICAN PEOPLE, a NON-AMERICAN LAND and a NON-AMERICAN CAUSE.
Israel DID NOT seize Palestinian lands, period.
Posted by USAisdway98 at 04:59 PM : Sep 09, 2007
Are you serious. You don''t know that Europeans from different European countries were brought into Plaestine after WWII to occupy the land of those Palestinians by force who had nothing to do with the actions Hitler.
How dare you called me ANTI-AMERICAN?
ANTI-AMERICANS are those who believe in an ANTI-AMERICAN, RACIST and UNJUST GOD who Racially discriminated against Americans by not promising them a SINGLE PENNY while promising NON-AMERICANS a land in the MIDDLE EAST.
ANTI-AMERICANS are those who want god-neglected AMERICANS to work day and night to pay tax to the government, and want GOD-NEGLECTED NON-AMERICANS to snatch more then $3 B a year from the US Tax paid money. Does it make any sense at all to spend $3 Billion a year to buy HATRED, TERRORISM and 9/11 against our nation.
ANTI-AMERICANS are those who want to sacrifise UNHOLY LAND UNITED STATES for the NON-AMERICAN HOLY LAND BETHLEHAM where ISLAMIC RADICAL "JESUS" was born who opposed Homosexuals'' right of marriage just like his other ISLAMIC RADICAL BROTHER, who gave his life for his cause just like his fellow ISLAMIC RADICALS do tosy.
Bright, Beautiful, and She DID SERVE.
Commander in the Coast Guard.
Unlike the traitors and ''hos Pelosi and Hillary.
She''d get my consideration if she ran for President.
When the two Democratic ''hos go over and fight Al Qaeda or the terrorists on the front lines, call me. They couldn''t hold a candle to Miss Townsend.
Go peddle your Hitlerian nonsense to your equally Anti-American friends at the Daily Kostroite.
Israel DID NOT seize Palestinian lands, period.
The Muslim religion as practiced by Arafat, Saddam, Bin Laden and other babykilling monsters is to kill anyone who doesn''t follow them. Do you care to? If not, then shut up and support any and all efforts to destroy them.
Unfortunately Bush, in moddycuddlying Pakistan and being worried what Democratic traitors think, and the Israelis under the coward Olmert who releases terrorists will not commit all out war against them - if we did, we''d win very quickly. And the Democrats offer nothing but appeasing Hitler like solutions.
A couple of mushroom clouds - over the mountains of Northern Pakistan and over Tehran, and the threat of one on Mecca will put paid to this. Unfortunately, thanks to cowards and traitors like Reid, Pelosi, Dean and the lily-livered types who spew here, America just doesn''t have the will to do it.
Wright also reiterates what is common knowledge -the Clitons had numerous occasions to off Bin Laden, but Pervert Bill was too busy playing with Monica, bombing those all-too-terroristic Serbs, and placating his AIDS-ridden monster babykilling buddy Arafat.
Remember that, Bozos and Daily Kostroite Champipple drinkers when you cheer for Hillary, or even Boy Obama.
But the point is: There never was.
Posted by Olddog200 at 01:28 PM : Sep 09, 2007
There was always a solution and still it''''s there. The solution is to stop the RACISM and INJUSTICE taught by the book of Human rights violation named Bible.
All the human beings living in this world are GOD-NEGLECTED PEOPLE bcause of being born in a RACE or FAMILY not chosen by god and that''''s why they have not been promised a single penny from the god, whereas; those EUROPEANS who were brought into Palestine after WWII to occupy the land of those PALESTINIANS by force who had nothing to do with the actions of HITLER are GOD-CHOSEN PEOPLE because of being bron in a RACE or FAMILY CHOSEN by god and that''''s why they have been promised a land in the Middle East. Human beings should not be treated on the basis of their actions but should be treated on the basis of the RACE or FAMILY they are born in.
This NON-SENSE IDEOLOGY is known as RACISM and INJUSTICE.
If Europeans were not brought into Palestine after WWII to occupy the land of those Palestinians by force who had nothing to do with the actions of HILTER, because BIBLES said so, Alqaeda would not get enough recruits to fly planes into buildings because koran says so.
The solution of all our problems is to kick PSYCHOSIS "CHRISTIANITY" out of our politics.
Posted by elgraz at 03:57 PM : Sep 09, 2007
What about the Fox news Channel? Is that also a left wing media?
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