Speculations
about Bin Laden’s Death An Attempt to Cover up Failure to Catch
Him
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The
U.S. prefers to believe Bin Laden may have died in the U.S.-led
military war on Afghanistan |
WASHINGTON,
July 31 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - After several failed
attempts to capture Al-Qaeda leader Ossama bin Laden, the United
States has turned to speculations about his death, in an attempt to
cover up its failure and at the same time, focus another enemy - Iraqi
President Saddam Hussein.
On
Tuesday, July 30, U.S. media harped on suggestions of Bin Laden’s
probable death, considering the fact that some of his bodyguards may
be among the prisoners held by the United States in Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba.
If
bin Laden's bodyguards were captured away from him, it is a likely
indication that he is dead, CNN quoted U.S. officials as saying.
The
cable news network reports the guards have been in custody since
February.
"There
are a number of people who are in Gitmo [Guantanamo Bay nickname] and
have been in Gitmo for many months, who at one time or another were
part of his security detail," an official, who spoke on condition
of anonymity, told news agencies.
Since
Bin Laden made a series of videotapes as U.S. warplanes pounded
Afghanistan to destroy the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, he has recently
stayed out of sight, raising questions over whether he survived the
bombing. Bin Laden's last appearance on video was more than seven
months ago.
"It's
the latest evidence suggesting that the Al-Qaeda leader may have died
in the U.S.-led military action to purge the Taliban from power in
Afghanistan. Such evidence appears to have convinced some high-level
U.S. officials that Bin Laden is dead," the CNN report said.
But
the anonymous U.S. official also stated that the capture of some of
Bin Laden’s bodyguards does not necessarily mean the Saudi-born
dissident is dead.
"He
[Bin Laden] has a very large security detail, so their presence there
does not tell one anything," the official said. "And none of
them, to my knowledge, have said that he's dead."
In
addition, other evidence suggests Bin Laden may have jettisoned most
of his entourage in favor of a skeleton crew made up of a few trusted
associates. Published reports said a video found by allied forces in
February showed Bin Laden camping with just a few other people,
reports news agencies.
U.S.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said last week the United States
still did not know if Bin Laden was dead or alive.
"I've
not heard hide nor hair of him since December," he said.
"He's either dead, which is fine from our standpoint, or he's
alive and for some reason decides he does not want to live up to his
reputation as enjoying going on videos and letting the world know that
he's alive."
But
if Bin Laden was dead, Rumsfeld has said that six to eight senior
Al-Qaeda officials could still run the organization.
Earlier
this month, Dale Watson, assistant director of the FBI's
Counterterrorism Division, said he was not sure whether Bin Laden is
alive or dead. "I personally think he's probably not with us
anymore," he said, reports CNN.
The
same report speculated about the status of Bin Laden's third-eldest
son, Saad, and his potential role in the Al-Qaeda network, suggesting
that he was active within the organization, though not necessarily in
a senior role.
Despite
a flurry of rumors and circumstantial and anecdotal evidence, no hard
evidence has emerged to draw a firm conclusion about whether bin Laden
himself is alive or dead.
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