> > >Laden has 20 nukes >SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM >Monday, August 9, 1999 >WASHINGTON -- Saudi fugitive Osama Bin Laden is believed to >have up to 20 nuclear bombs and is seeking to launch a massive >terrorist strike against the United States, a congressional >investigator and author says. >Yosef Bodansky, a researcher of the House Task Force for >Counterterrorism and author of a new book on Bin Laden, told a >news conference on Friday that Bin Laden has been seeking to >follow up on his bombings of two U.S. embassies in east Africa >one year ago. Echoing U.S. officials, Bodansky said Bin Laden >was thwarted in plans to blow up the U.S. embassy and two >consulates in India in last December and January. >Bin Laden has biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and has >received technical help from Iraq, Bodansky said. The nuclear >weapons include suitcase bombs acquired through Chechniyan >rebels. >"The Russians believe that he has a handful [of nuclear weapons], >the Saudi intelligence services are very conservative . . . they are >friendly to the United States, [and] believe that he has in the >neighborhood of 20," Bodansky said. Bin Laden obtained and >purchased the suitcase bombs from multiple sources, he said. He >has a "collection of individuals knowledgeable in activating the >bombs" and "is recruiting former Soviet special forces [to learn] >how to operate the bombs behind enemy lines." >"As far as decision-making in Washington is concerned, we should >assume that he has them," he added. "Most of them have been >transferred through Pakistan." >"Let me stress here: We don't have any indication that they are >going to use [them] tomorrow or any other day," added Bodansky, >whose intelligence estimates and analyses are considered >controversial in Washingon. "But they have the capability, they >have the legitimate authorization, they have the logic" for using >them. "One does not [make] the tremendous amount of >expenditures, effort, investment in human beings, in human >resources, to have something that will be just kept somewhere in >storage." >Bodansky said Bin Laden has strong ties with Islamic >fundamentalists throughout the Middle East, the Balkans, Britain >and the United States. He refused to name any specific >organization in the United States. >"There's a distinct minority within the Moslem community in the >United States that is very sympathetic to his cause, to his analysis >and interpretation of the relationship between the hub of Islam and >the penetration of Westernization, Western culture and the like," >he said. "And a minority among this minority are known to have >crossed the threshold of willingness to commit terrorist acts or >commit violence. Many have been trained in Afghanistan, Bosnia >and elsewhere throughout the Moslem world, so that they are >capable. They have the skills and capabilities to carry out an >operation as required." > >Bodansky said Bin Laden remains in Afghanistan. He said the >Saudi is located in Islam Darva, about 80 kilometers northwest of >Kandahar. When he wants to communicate with the outside world, >he travels to Jalalabad, he said. > > >Monday, August 9, 1999 ------------------------------------------- Macdonald Stainsby Rad-Green List: Radical anti-capitalist environmental discussion. http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green ---- Leninist-International: Building bridges in the tradition of V.I. Lenin. http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international ---- In the contradiction lies the hope. --Bertholt Brecht _______________________________________________ Leninist-International mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
