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'Key capture' tightens net on bin
Laden
By Syed Saleem Shahzad
KARACHI - Reports received by Asia Times Online say that
Dr Khalid al-Zawahiri, the son of Osama bin Laden's iconic
deputy, Dr Ayman al-Zawahiri, has been apprehended in
Afghanistan in what could be a major breakthrough in
efforts to track down bin Laden.
On Monday night, Asia Times Online
was told by high-level sources that Khalid had been
trapped by Pakistani forces somewhere in the South
Waziristan tribal area in Pakistan. However, he was said
to have slipped across the border into Afghanistan and
disappeared. On Wednesday, though, fresh reports
indicate that Khalid, along 
with his wife
and three children, have in fact been arrested and are
in United States custody.
Details of Khalid's
past activities are sketchy, but his capture - if true -
is viewed as highly significant as he is likely to have
information about the precise whereabouts and activities
of his father, and bin Laden too, as they are suspected
of hiding in the mountainous region from which Khalid
was flushed before he fled to Afghanistan. Egyptian
Ayman al-Zawahiri is the key al-Qaeda intellectual and
ideological strategist.
There has been no
official confirmation of Khalid's arrest, although
Pakistani military officials reported on Wednesday that
Pakistani troops, supported by helicopter gunships, on
Tuesday arrested at least 20 people, including some
foreigners, as they combed a rugged tribal area on the
border with Afghanistan in a hunt for al-Qaeda and
Taliban fugitives.
In an ironic twist, Ayman Zawahiri
was in the news on Tuesday after a tape he is purported
to have made accused US President George W Bush of lying
when he asserted that most of the al-Qaeda network had
been crushed. In a tape aired on Qatar's alJazeera
satellite television network, Zawahiri said: "Bush's
allegation that his troops have arrested more than
two-thirds of al-Qaeda ... is full of lies. The leader
of the most powerful country on earth is not embarrassed
to say these deceptions and lies. It's gotten to the
stage that he can ridicule his listeners to this
degree."
The latest
activity in the Pakistani tribal areas is a part of a
major offensive by US-led forces on the Afghanistan side
and Pakistani troops on their side of the border "smoke
out" not only al-Qaeda remnants, but also elements of
the Afghan resistance.
The United States is
exerting heavy pressure on Islamabad to fully cooperate
in this venture, as in the past elements within the
Pakistan military and intelligence branches have been
less than fully committed in assisting the US as they
resent dancing to Washington's tune.
Soon after
September 11, 2001, US authorities asked President
General Pervez Musharraf simply whether he was "with us
or against us", and Musharraf decided to go along with
the US "war on terror". Now, apparently, he has been
asked the same unconditional question in tracking bin
Laden and co, and he has little option but to answer in
the affirmative or face the consequences, such as
sanctions or the loss of aid.
In January, the US
approved US$395 million in aid to Pakistan, almost half
of which will be used to write off debt to Washington.
Under the agreement Pakistan will repay $200 million to
the US, which would save it about $400 million-$500
million in interest payments over the period of the
loan. Pakistan's foreign debt and liabilities total $35
billion, of which $33 billion is debt. Pakistan and the
US have also agreed on a framework of how to utilize
another $3 billion promised by the US over the next five
years. The $3 billion package was announced by President
George W Bush at Camp David in a meeting with Musharraf
in June last year. According to the agreement, $600
million will be disbursed each year. Half of the amount
will be for defense equipment purchases by Pakistan and
the other half for economic development.
Afghan resistance lies low
The "hammer
and anvil" operation now under way, with US-led forces
on the one side in Afghanistan and Pakistani forces on
the other side across the border, is making life
difficult for the Afghan resistance as its supply lines
are being squeezed. It's response has been to lie low
until spring, when it plans a major offensive to capture
key Afghan cities.
"At present, the resistance
has no intention to fight the armies engaged in the
present operation [US and Pakistani]. The resistance
will respond at a venue of its own choice against US
interests," a source close to the Taliban told this
correspondent.
"Though, at present, there is a
decision to be silent, soon, when coalition forces are
fatigued with their search and seize operations, they
will see a new crop of youths on suicide missions,"
according to other sources. The vanguard of these
missions will include fresh young Afghan youths who have
been "tamed and chosen for this task". They will rise up
from the population and blow themselves up to hit US
interests and force the foreign forces to leave Afghan
soil," the source said.
The present Afghan
operation follows the pattern of the US invasion of
Afghanistan that started on October 7, 2001 in which a
few Pakistani air bases were used for more than 55,000
sorties into Afghanistan. Presently, Kohat, Bannu and
Jacobabad bases are being utilized, although there is no
resistance from within Afghanistan at present.
Khalid al-Zawahiri, and even bigger fish, might
be snared in this assault, but the Afghan resistance is
biding its time.
(Copyright 2004 Asia Times
Online Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact content@atimes.com for
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