# Is bin Laden dead?



## Chilly (23 Sep 2006)

Just saw this on CTV.ca.

What do you think of the validity of this?

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060923/binladen_report_060923/20060923?hub=TopStories


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## Armymedic (23 Sep 2006)

Until there is a body...


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## GAP (23 Sep 2006)

CNN reporting on it...leaked document from French Intelligence

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/23/france.binladen.ap/index.html


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## tomahawk6 (23 Sep 2006)

No one knows for sure. I guess we will have to wait for AQ to confirm it. ;D


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## GAP (23 Sep 2006)

It might also be a disingenious way of making him confirm his relevance. Everything coming from him in the last 6 months could have been manufactured by someone else.


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## Lockness (23 Sep 2006)

If he is dead, I wonder if AQ has a stockpile of prerecorded Bin Laden tapes to inspire the movement and garner attention from the West... maybe with a green background for photoshoping a current newspaper into the background.


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## rmacqueen (23 Sep 2006)

It will be interesting to see if AQ responds in anyway.  I can't see them remaining silent as the death of Bin Laden is sure to have some demoralizing effect on AQ since they were viewing him as virtually invincible.  Might also make some question why, if their cause is sanctioned by God, BL was struck down not in battle but by illness.


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## dglad (23 Sep 2006)

Actually, I don't think it would really matter much one way or the other.  The only meaningful thing that could happen involving Bin Laden would be his capture or clear death at western hands.  It's otherwise little more than 'interesting', because AQ isn't a sufficiently hierarchical organization for his death to really matter that much.  I've never seen anything to suggest that AQ is a cult of personality.  If he died of typhoid, then undoubtedly some new figure will emerge to fill his role as AQ "boogeyman" and those who need to will rationalize it as God's will that he was called into the afterlife, perhaps even as a gift for all he's accomplished (crafting the info ops messaging that suits you really isn't rocket science).


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## Infanteer (23 Sep 2006)

I agree with DGlad - Al Qaeda is no longer an organization, it is a movement.  bin Laden has done what he set out to do when he started "the base"; mobilized a significant portion of the Muslim world against the West and, in particular, the United States.


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## V (23 Sep 2006)

This report causes concern.  Recently, I heard that there may be another attack in the next couple of months.  I don't think AQ will want the world to think that there leader died in his bed.  I think they would want him to die a martyr, in some horribly murderous way.  If there is any credibility to this report of an impending attack, this may be it.

  V


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## vonGarvin (23 Sep 2006)

Two of many sites where I've seen this today:
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/6644C310-ED4B-4FEA-B118-104E1736B356.htm

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,215301,00.html

There.  Aljazeera and Fox.  Any more divergent sites than that?  

OK, one more

http://www.ndp.ca


;D

EDIT: I did search for any other posts on this subject, but was unable to find this thread.  I both apologise to and thank the DS here for blending my thread into its appropriate spot.


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## Cloud Cover (23 Sep 2006)

He's not dead. He's the cab driver who took me to the Ottawa airport last Sunday.


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## vonGarvin (23 Sep 2006)

whiskey601 said:
			
		

> He's not dead. He's the cab driver who took me to the Ottawa airport last Sunday.


 :rofl:

But.....the real question is this: did you see him on the hill yesterday?


;D


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## Haggis (23 Sep 2006)

whiskey601 said:
			
		

> He's not dead. He's the cab driver who took me to the Ottawa airport last Sunday.



Wrong.  Check your facts.

Everyone knows he runs a 7-11 in Mechanicsville.


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## xmarcx (23 Sep 2006)

Haggis said:
			
		

> Wrong.  Check your facts.
> 
> Everyone knows he runs a 7-11 in Mechanicsville.



Bingo, he's got to stay close to the hill to run the Jack Layon muppet!


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## silentbutdeadly (23 Sep 2006)

I think if he was dead, i would think AQ would use him as a martyr to inspire his follows to raise up and take revenge or something silly like that.


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## patrick666 (23 Sep 2006)

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/osama_dead.html

Some interesting facts and/or fictions. 

Also, the "fake Bin Laden tape" - http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/osamatape2.html


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## Haggis (23 Sep 2006)

silentbutdeadly! said:
			
		

> I think if he was dead, i would think AQ would use him as a martyr to inspire his follows to raise up and take revenge or something silly like that.



If he died a martyrs' death, I'd agree with you.  But if he died from illness, then it must be God's will that he is dead.  Moderate Muslims can then state that it was God's will because of his crimes against humanity and Islam.


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## James (23 Sep 2006)

Patrick H. said:
			
		

> http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/osama_dead.html
> 
> Some interesting facts and/or fictions.
> 
> Also, the "fake Bin Laden tape" - http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/osamatape2.html



This site claims he died back in 2001, but didn't he release a video in 2004?

I'm getting a little tired of people using the government as a scapegoat for everything...


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## Nfld Sapper (23 Sep 2006)

I think I will reserve judgement on his death until a body is produced and dna test be done on it.


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## Mike Baker (23 Sep 2006)

Nfld_Sapper said:
			
		

> I think I will reserve judgement on his death until a body is produced and dna test be done on it.


Same here.


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## Old Sweat (23 Sep 2006)

And we will need more than a picture from Reuters.


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## darmil (23 Sep 2006)

I think he has been dead for awhile and AQ has a bunch of prerecorded tapes to keep he movement going.But until there is a body :-\
 The real question is who is organizing the taliban BL or someone new?


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## 1feral1 (23 Sep 2006)

Old Sweat said:
			
		

> And we will need more than a picture from Reuters.



Good one Old Sweat! Ha!

As far as I am concerned OBL/UBL will remain a fugitive until DNA is examined by a US force. Until then, he and his 'hangers on' are at large somewhere in shyteland cowering from Coallition forces. We must be patient, as his day will come sooner or later. 

Cheers from brown skys, a sea of sand and definate poo dust,

Wes


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## bilton090 (23 Sep 2006)

Haggis said:
			
		

> If he died a martyrs' death, I'd agree with you.  But if he died from illness, then it must be God's will that he is dead.  Moderate Muslims can then state that it was God's will because of his crimes against humanity and Islam.


                     +1


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## big bad john (24 Sep 2006)

GAP said:
			
		

> CNN reporting on it...leaked document from French Intelligence
> 
> http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/23/france.binladen.ap/index.html



Come on now... French Intelligence...No Body...  do we really have to ask.  I mean let's get real.


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## Scoobie Newbie (24 Sep 2006)

MAYBE we can use this to our advantage.  If OBL is still alive he may want to prove it and rush a tape or video into production.  This may flush him out a bit.


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## regulator12 (24 Sep 2006)

I really dont think it matters anymore if is dead or alive. The extremists will still fight regardless...the hornets nest has been stirred up and there are a lot of groups with there own cause fighting now against the west, and i think the taliban take credit for attacks even if they didnt do it.


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## paracowboy (24 Sep 2006)

living or dead is immaterial. Infanteer got it right.


			
				Infanteer said:
			
		

> I agree with DGlad - Al Qaeda is no longer an organization, it is a movement.  bin Laden has done what he set out to do when he started "the base"; mobilized a significant portion of the Muslim world against the West and, in particular, the United States.



And bin Lazin' has NEVER controlled the Taliban.


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## Lost_Warrior (24 Sep 2006)

> If he is dead, I wonder if AQ has a stockpile of prerecorded Bin Laden tapes to inspire the movement and garner attention from the West... maybe with a green background for photoshoping a current newspaper into the background.



Kind of like how Elvis and Tupac keep releasing new albums?  ;D

On a serious note, to confirm his death, we will need to see a body.  Unfortunately, I don't think AQ would ever give us the chance, in turn keeping us speculating.

In 50 years we can say "Yes, he's dead now"   Old age has a funny way of creeping up on even the most infamous terrorist in the world.


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## FredDaHead (24 Sep 2006)

Lone Wolf Quagmire said:
			
		

> MAYBE we can use this to our advantage.  If OBL is still alive he may want to prove it and rush a tape or video into production.  This may flush him out a bit.




He might be delusional and have no conscience, but I don't think he's stupid. Besides, appearing "dead" would work for him: while he's apparently dead he can move with much more freedom as the world's intel agencies won't be as alert, and his "death" makes him a martyr and enflames the spirit of cowardly terrorist-wannabes. Then, when the martyr-related interest wanes, he comes back, rising from the "dead" to rule over his sheep.


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## Trinity (24 Sep 2006)

Frederik G said:
			
		

> He might be delusional and have no conscience, but I don't think he's stupid. Besides, appearing "dead" would work for him: while he's apparently dead he can move with much more freedom as the world's intel agencies won't be as alert, and his "death" makes him a martyr and enflames the spirit of cowardly terrorist-wannabes. Then, when the martyr-related interest wanes, he comes back, rising from the "dead" to rule over his sheep.



No way Fred.

Suspected dead or alive... they will NEVER stop looking for him.  And until there is definitive proof,
like Elvis, he will always be spotted somewhere!


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## zipperhead_cop (25 Sep 2006)

I'm also calling BS on the story.  Plus, does anyone really die from Typhoid?  The guy had a fair amount of cash and support.  I thought that was one of those diseases that was on it's way out, like polio?  Not one of my lanes, however.  

Possibly, could it be that whoever is actively on his trail is getting warmer and the bad guys want to buy some breathing room ala "the stupid, lazy westerners" sentiment?

Or is there any chance there is some sort of Islamic resurrection tie in to this?  Don't know enough about it, but maybe they are trying to ramp up his importance to some sort of god-like stature.  
Of course, my God doesn't crap in a cave and eat Spam, but I guess that is what informed choices are all about.


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## Journeyman (25 Sep 2006)

I was going to ignore this thread because I don't have anything factual, or opinion based on first-hand experience, to contribute (bizarre concept, I know   ).... but I had to pass along this one sentence from today's Washington Times:

http://washingtontimes.com/world/20060924-120100-8177r.htm


> *The regional French newspaper L'Est Republicain printed what it described as a copy of a confidential document from the DGSE intelligence service citing an uncorroborated report from a "usually reliable source" who said Saudi secret services were convinced that bin Laden had died*


Count the qualifying and distance-from-source phrases:

"what it described"
"a copy of"
"a confidential document" [<<-- the lowest security classification used by DGSE]
"uncorroborated report"
"usually reliable"
"who said [someone else] was convinced" [<<-- even the "original source" claims no proof]

No, I'm not ready to invest any cash in this proposition yet. Let it go.


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## pronto (25 Sep 2006)

Trinity said:
			
		

> And until there is definitive proof, like Elvis, he will always be spotted somewhere!



I saw him recently at the Piggly-Wiggly - he was a-packing groceries and humming "Oops I did it again" I am sure of it. ;D

Journeyman is right... WAY too much speculation, and a paucity of facts.


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## paracowboy (25 Sep 2006)

pronto said:
			
		

> WAY too much speculation, and a paucity of facts.


and irrelevent to the Mission, anyway.


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## time expired (25 Sep 2006)

bin Laden dead?
  Allah ak bar . Probably spelled that wrong but it sums up my reaction ,God is great
                        Regards


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