Report: Oldest Bin Laden Son Freed By Iran
CBS News' Farhan Bokhari reports from Islamabad:
Iran has quietly released Osama bin Laden's elder son and is likely to have "pushed him across Western Afghanistan's bordering Heart region" towards the end of 2008, a senior Arab diplomat said on Saturday, responding to reports of the younger bin Laden having eventually arrived in Pakistan.
"I don't know where he may be presently located - he could be on either side of the Pak-Afghan border after traveling from western Afghanistan," said the diplomat with access to intelligence information, who spoke to CBS News in Islamabad on condition of anonymity.
Saad bin Laden, 27, is one of the 19 children of the world's most notorious terrorist suspect who has evaded capture for more than seven years since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington unleashed the U.S.'s war on terror.
According to earlier press reports, on Friday Mike McConnell, the director of U.S. national intelligence, said Saad bin Laden was probably in Pakistan, suggesting his refuge was the country's lawless tribal areas along the Afghan border.
CBS News' Leily Lankarani in Tehran writes that there has been response from Iranian authorities on these reports.
Saad bin Laden was believed by Western and Pakistani intelligence officials to have been captured by the Iranians when he tried escaping via Iran in late 2001, following a U.S. attack on Afghanistan.
The Arab diplomat who spoke to CBS News said it was unlikely that the younger bin Laden was "anywhere near his father." He said the pattern so far sketched of Osama bin Laden's own movements gave no account of his family being ever close to him.
"He (Osama bin Laden) has kept himself far away from his clan," the diplomat said. "That's one reason why he is able to move at very short notice: Imagine going around with 19 kids following you."
The Pakistani official refused to be drawn into speculation of Saad bin Laden's final destination being Pakistan's border areas along Afghanistan, saying, "How do I know where he went? My guess is that somewhere along the Pak-Afghan border would be his final destination, but I don't know for certain."
A Western diplomat in Islamabad with access to intelligence information on terrorist movements said it was impossible to know why the Iranians released the younger bin Laden.
"For the past two months, the rumor has been that the Iranians released Saad bin Laden but no one knows why. Maybe they (Iranians) are keen to get such baggage off their hands in anticipation of making a new start with President Obama, but this is all speculation," said the diplomat who spoke to CBS News on condition that he would not be named.
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. Iran has quietly released Osama bin Laden's elder son and is likely to have "pushed him across Western Afghanistan's bordering Heart region" towards the end of 2008, a senior Arab diplomat said on Saturday, responding to reports of the younger bin Laden having eventually arrived in Pakistan.
"I don't know where he may be presently located - he could be on either side of the Pak-Afghan border after traveling from western Afghanistan," said the diplomat with access to intelligence information, who spoke to CBS News in Islamabad on condition of anonymity.
Saad bin Laden, 27, is one of the 19 children of the world's most notorious terrorist suspect who has evaded capture for more than seven years since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington unleashed the U.S.'s war on terror.
According to earlier press reports, on Friday Mike McConnell, the director of U.S. national intelligence, said Saad bin Laden was probably in Pakistan, suggesting his refuge was the country's lawless tribal areas along the Afghan border.
CBS News' Leily Lankarani in Tehran writes that there has been response from Iranian authorities on these reports.
Saad bin Laden was believed by Western and Pakistani intelligence officials to have been captured by the Iranians when he tried escaping via Iran in late 2001, following a U.S. attack on Afghanistan.
The Arab diplomat who spoke to CBS News said it was unlikely that the younger bin Laden was "anywhere near his father." He said the pattern so far sketched of Osama bin Laden's own movements gave no account of his family being ever close to him.
"He (Osama bin Laden) has kept himself far away from his clan," the diplomat said. "That's one reason why he is able to move at very short notice: Imagine going around with 19 kids following you."
Pakistani officials responding to the report said they had no information on the younger bin Laden's location, though one senior official said it was more likely that he traveled via Afghanistan rather than crossing into Pakistan from the country's land border along Iran. "Travelling via Pakistan was more risky, it would have taken him through some heavily populated areas," said a Pakistani official who also spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity.
The Pakistani official refused to be drawn into speculation of Saad bin Laden's final destination being Pakistan's border areas along Afghanistan, saying, "How do I know where he went? My guess is that somewhere along the Pak-Afghan border would be his final destination, but I don't know for certain."
A Western diplomat in Islamabad with access to intelligence information on terrorist movements said it was impossible to know why the Iranians released the younger bin Laden.
"For the past two months, the rumor has been that the Iranians released Saad bin Laden but no one knows why. Maybe they (Iranians) are keen to get such baggage off their hands in anticipation of making a new start with President Obama, but this is all speculation," said the diplomat who spoke to CBS News on condition that he would not be named.
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This dream came back to my mind a day or so ago, as I am back in Chicago, back in touch with my old boss, and way north and woudl head that way into town...
always i prefer to be wrong, but killing the son of osama probably will provoke a reaction.
now remember, I am just someone who has odd dreams, no matte what the Govt thinks I am..
http://www.josieg6.wordpress.com
Throughout history, the world has persecuted and killed the jews for no reason at all. If it werent for the U.S. providing support and protection, the world would continue its persecution of the jews. If the U.S. is threatened for protecting them, so be it. We are doing the right thing.
OK, so how about someone swoop in and take your land and then kill your family. Then we''ll see how you feel. Hamas are extreme, sure, but Palestinians certainly have a legit reason to fight for land and a life that we the Western world took from them by backing the Israeli state. Yes, the Jews have been persecuted for ages, but so have the Palestinians, and being one-sided about the issue is pretty ignorant.
Posted by v_eyepete at 08:46 AM : Jan 18, 2009
I guess Israel should have tried diplomacy during the first few times their "peace loving" arab neighbors attacked them? After the first few wars, it becomes aparent that their neighbors only understand the threat of force. And some like the Palastinians still dont get it.
Throughout history, the world has persecuted and killed the jews for no reason at all. If it werent for the U.S. providing support and protection, the world would continue its persecution of the jews. If the U.S. is threatened for protecting them, so be it. We are doing the right thing.
www.SurviveIran.com
Whose family increased their wealth in partnership with the Bush family, in the Carlyle Group of Companies. Public information, easily and officially verified.
Perhaps for you, but the civilized, who respect law, know that Jr. is not Sr., and can no more be prosecuted for his father''s doings than you can for yours. All the war mongers say the same thing, "it doesn''t matter about law, he has the same name/religion/nationality/skin color, etc., as the guy we say we''re after, so kill him."
This was before we unilaterally declared them to be part of the axis of evil.
One of those captured by the Iranians being Mr. bin Laden, although there was no real evidence for holding him.
Despite this fact, and the potential wrath of the Al Qaeda movement, Iran maintained control of Usama''''s son for all these years.
So, when we say that Iran supports terrorism, we deny their leadership against Al Qaeda to this very day.
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Posted by joebhed at 08:58 PM : Jan 17, 2009
Iranian government is one that wisely ignored Cheney''s "Either you are with us or against us". They are not stupid to fight on behalf of US new cons.
US kept on harboring people who looted Iran e.g. last king of Iran and is holding Iran''s money.
The axis of evil label was invented by the new cons. America can think independently and they don''t have to follow new cons designations.