CNN: Intelligence indicates activity at al Qaeda camps

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
1

Someone said that there are no camps in Pakistan, just like the claim that there were no Al Qaida in Pak. Another one bites the dust.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/08/05/qaeda.camps/

Intelligence indicates activity at al Qaeda camps
Satellite imagery tracks training sites along Pakistan-Afghan border

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Intelligence indicates some al Qaeda training camps have been reactivated along Pakistan’s border with southeastern Afghanistan, defense and intelligence sources told CNN.

Overhead surveillance imagery gathered in the past month seems to show vehicles and people recently moving into areas known to be training sites for al Qaeda.

One official said the camps “are of interest to the U.S. and Pakistan,” but said nothing indicates the recent activity at the camps is tied to the raising of the terrorist alert level in financial districts in New York; Newark, New Jersey and Washington.

The official said the United States prefers that Pakistani military forces move against the camps, located west and southwest of Quetta.

Activity ebbs and flows at known al Qaeda training sites in the region, and the U.S. official said local Pakistani forces would be best able to stage a military operation, with the help of timely U.S. intelligence.

**The U.S.-led war against Afghanistan’s Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime in October of 2001 sought to destroy such camps, many of which were located along the border with Pakistan.

Six Yemeni-Americans from upstate New York attended an al Qaeda training camp in 2001 and were later convicted of providing material support to a terrorist organization.**

A U.S. attorney said the six men likely attended the camps at about the same time as American John Walker Lindh, who was convicted of fighting against the United States for the Taliban.

News of the reactivated camps comes as indications of other Pakistan-al Qaeda links have surfaced. On Wednesday, two U.S. government sources said that intelligence found in Pakistan indicates that suspected al Qaeda operatives in that country recently contacted an individual or individuals in the United States.

In addition, two senior Pakistani intelligence sources told CNN that there is evidence at least six individuals in the United States were contacted by Muhammad Naeem Noor Khan, an alleged al Qaeda operative and computer expert who was recently taken into custody in Pakistan. U.S. officials have not confirmed that information. (Full story)

Khan’s arrest was just one in a Pakistani sweep against suspected al Qaeda operatives that also included the July 30 capture of Tanzanian Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, who was wanted in connection with the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa. (Full story)

2

The title and the insinuations in this story are false. Here is what the US governement says:

http://www.dawn.com/2004/08/06/top4.htm

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Re: US: Al Qaida camps reactivated in Pakistan

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Talwar: *
Someone said that there are no camps in Pakistan, just like the claim that there were no Al Qaida in Pak. Another one bites the dust.

[/QUOTE]

That someone was right! Some anti-Pakistan person like you wrote this story full of lies.

4

The same intelligence that said Iraq could launch WMDs in 45 minutes? or the one that Alqaeda and Iraq are joined at the hip? or was it the one that said Saddam has stockpiles of WMDs hidden somewhere?

Talwar, you need a vacation.

5

Again you have posted a totally irrelevant piece. The one you posted talked about Taliban camps referred to in a NY Times report. This is a new report from CNN.

Besides in that Dawn story, you cannot find a single sentence quoting the State Dept that there were NO Taliban camps in Pak. It just says that the State Dept praises Pakistan for undertaking operations in Wana.

The camps in question were in Punjab.

Try again.

6

It is also the same intelligence that calls Pakistan a major ally. So shall we reject that too. You need some fresh ideas :hehe:

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Re: Re: US: Al Qaida camps reactivated in Pakistan

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

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[QUOTE]
Again you have posted a totally irrelevant piece. The one you posted talked about Taliban camps referred to in a NY Times report. This is a new report from CNN.
[/QUOTE]

Talwar sahib, here is the first three paraghraphs with appropriate highlights. Now tell me they are not relevant to your claims regarding both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

[quote]
WASHINGTON, Aug 5: The United States has rejected the possibility of the existence of Taliban training camps inside Pakistan, pointing out that Islamabad has undertaken "extensive operations" against terrorists "sometimes at the loss of life".

The strong expression of support for Pakistan followed a series of stories in the US media recently which suggested that there still were active Taliban training camps in Pakistan.

"What we've seen is a very strong Pakistani effort to eradicate sources of extremism in Pakistan, to eradicate any support that might be found in Pakistan for Taliban and Al Qaeda elements," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher while disagreeing with the claim.
[/quote]

9

OH PUHLEEEEEEEZ :rolleyes:

:disgust:

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I’m not discounting your report. The Dawn report - “The United States has rejected the possibility of the existence of Taliban training camps inside Pakistan” is a spin on what was said.

If you look carefully, the State Department did not deny that these camps existed. He’s just saying that Pakistan is a good ally etc. In fact, the #2 man in the State Dept, Rich Armitage claimed publicly in Islamabad that terror camps are still open in Pak.

Let’s look at a neutral media report on the same State Dept briefing from the UK based Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/08/06/wterr206.xml

The State dept spokesman, like any skilled Diplomat, did not deny the main point on the camps, but put the focus on praising Musharraf.

There was also many reports that the US Customs is asking anyone from Pakistan or Pakistani heritage whether they have been to “terror camps” in Waziristan or Baluchistan when they enter the US. This was confirmed to me by my colleague who is of Pak descent from Norway, who recently returned from Canada to the US.

11

I read that Pakistan had a terrorist camp operating in Mansehra which is 30 Minutes from Abbottabad. Abbottabad has Punjab regiment, baluch regiment, PMA, AMC, Frotier force, mountain warfare division etc. Pretty sad.. I guess the right place to hide is right under the nose.
BTW this was disclosed by a pakistani terrorist (a jihadi) caught in Afganistan. It was reported in NYtimes last monday. I posted that but whoooooosh it disappeared.

12

You need intelligence to call Pakistan an ally? Anyway, Pakistan is NOT a major ally. Neither is the US a friend of Pakistan. We have seen it too often, and known it too well to fall for this charade yet again. The governments wont say it because they are full of politicians and diplomats, who are ‘supposed’ to say the right things. But to reiterate it once again, US and Pakistan have a temporary marriage of convenience, which will fall apart as soon as america’s needs are over. So again, no, Pakistan is NOT a US ally. Pakistan is in it for the economic gains. US is in it for expansion of its control over the world.

And you need some sleep.