Major Taliban Leader Arrested

SenaxFlatulus · #1 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 12:52 PM

Major Taliban Leader Arrested
Cheney Pakistan Trip Credited
March 01, 2007 4:00 PM

Brian Ross and Martha Raddatz Report:

Quote:

The reported arrest of at least one top Taliban leader in Quetta, Pakistan may be the first sign that Vice President Dick Cheney's trip there this week worked.

Pakistani officials identified one of the men as Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, considered the third in command of the Taliban.

The arrest reportedly came only hours after Vice President Cheney left Pakistan, after confronting President Pervez Musharraf with "compelling evidence" of the resurgence of the Taliban and al Qaeda in Pakistan.

"His arrest would be huge, if confirmed," said Barnett Rubin, a New York University professor who testified today before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the resurgence of the Taliban in Pakistan.

It was the first time Pakistan had arrested a senior leader of the Islamist militia since it was driven from power in Afghanistan in 2001, and thousands of its fighters fled into Pakistan.

As ABC News has reported, the failure of Musharraf government to actively pursue Taliban leaders has long been a sore subject with U.S. officials.

Intelligence sources said Akhund may know the secret whereabouts of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and perhaps of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahri.

In the 1990s, Akhund served as the military liaison between the Taliban and the Pakistan's security service, the ISI, which has been accused of sheltering Taliban leaders since the U.S. invasion.

Habibullah Khan contributed to this report.

Click here

JohnnyDestroyer · #2 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 12:55 PM

what about Bin Laden? he too is hanging out in Pakistan ya know.....

SenaxFlatulus · #3 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyDestroyer";p=&quot

what about Bin Laden? he too is hanging out in Pakistan ya know.....

Right. IMO it would be great to take him into custody/kill him. This would throw a wet blanket on a LOT of hot air coming from the anti-Bush crowd. There would be much crow to eat starting here and leading all the way to Washington D.C.

For the time being, this guy may or may not be number 3. This may or may not lead to a location on OBL. Time will tell.

nosider · #4 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 01:16 PM

I'm highly positive that the UN was able to use this element of surprise to the best of their abilities, and as one can not tell who they have because the press did not mention any names, the man they have could very well be Osama himself. Also, should the UN use this time wisely, they may be able to head Osama off, were he not captured, as another post had mentioned that Osama was also discovered to be at these camps.

The UN has ample time to act to use this surprise attack to its fullest, and if they succeed, it would be greatly beneficial in the efforts towards weakening and ultimately destroying the Taliban forces. That is, if further action is taken to make sure that a more dangerous leader does not take over as leader.

SenaxFlatulus · #5 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nosider";p=&quot

I'm highly positive that the UN was able to use this element of surprise to the best of their abilities, and as one can not tell who they have because the press did not mention any names, the man they have could very well be Osama himself. Also, should the UN use this time wisely, they may be able to head Osama off, were he not captured, as another post had mentioned that Osama was also discovered to be at these camps.

The UN has ample time to act to use this surprise attack to its fullest, and if they succeed, it would be greatly beneficial in the efforts towards weakening and ultimately destroying the Taliban forces. That is, if further action is taken to make sure that a more dangerous leader does not take over as leader.

Where do you draw this conclusion? What evidence do you base your assertion that the UN is involved with this story in any way? Nothing was mentioned by the story regarding the UN. The initials UN were never even used.

The story mentions Bryan Ross, VP Cheney, Osama bin Laden, Musharraf, Mullah Akhund, Barnett Rubin, Mullah Omar, Zawahri, etc... no mention of the UN whatsoever.

DeadCenter · #6 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 01:29 PM

/sarcasm on

I hope the United States evil do’ers don’t torture this peaceful fellow by keeping him awake with lights and music. I doubt there’s any information we’ll be able to get out of him. The peaceful Pakistani people deserve to have other terrorist leaders run their communities. Let’s just keep our heads buried in this nice and comfortable sandpit.

/sarcasm off

ashleykennedy · #7 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 02:18 PM

Is this another one of those caught him but didn't quite stories again?

Quote:

There has been no official announcement of his detention, but two government officials confirmed his arrest on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized to talk to the press. The NATO spokesman in Afghanistan, Col. Tom Collins, said he was not aware of any arrest.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/01/wo...aliban.html?hp

exigent · #8 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SenaxFlatulus";p=&quot

Major Taliban Leader Arrested
Cheney Pakistan Trip Credited
March 01, 2007 4:00 PM

Brian Ross and Martha Raddatz Report:

Quote:

The reported arrest of at least one top Taliban leader in Quetta, Pakistan may be the first sign that Vice President Dick Cheney's trip there this week worked.

Pakistani officials identified one of the men as Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, considered the third in command of the Taliban.

The arrest reportedly came only hours after Vice President Cheney left Pakistan, after confronting President Pervez Musharraf with "compelling evidence" of the resurgence of the Taliban and al Qaeda in Pakistan.

"His arrest would be huge, if confirmed," said Barnett Rubin, a New York University professor who testified today before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the resurgence of the Taliban in Pakistan.

It was the first time Pakistan had arrested a senior leader of the Islamist militia since it was driven from power in Afghanistan in 2001, and thousands of its fighters fled into Pakistan.

As ABC News has reported, the failure of Musharraf government to actively pursue Taliban leaders has long been a sore subject with U.S. officials.

Intelligence sources said Akhund may know the secret whereabouts of Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and perhaps of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al Zawahri.

In the 1990s, Akhund served as the military liaison between the Taliban and the Pakistan's security service, the ISI, which has been accused of sheltering Taliban leaders since the U.S. invasion.

Habibullah Khan contributed to this report.

Click here

Tedminator · #9 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SenaxFlatulus";p=&quot

Major Taliban Leader Arrested
Cheney..

holycrap

DeadCenter · #10 (**permalink**) 03-01-2007, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exigent";p=&quot

Nice Blog

I'm sure thats just wishful thinking but...

Top Taliban Leader Is Arrested in Pakistan at the NYT

Quote:

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, March 1 — The Taliban’s former defense minister, Mullah Obeidullah, who has remained one of the most senior leaders in the insurgent movement, was arrested in Pakistan on Monday, the day of Vice President Dick Cheney’s visit, two government officials said Thursday.

Mullah Obeidullah is the most important Taliban member to be arrested since the invasion of Afghanistan by American forces in 2001. He is one of the inner core of the Taliban leadership around the Mullah Muhammad Omar who are believed to operate from the relative safety of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan Province, where Mullah Obeidullah was arrested.

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