Peter Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 A while back, I heard that we used to be able to listen into all of OBL's telephone calls. (Before 9/11). One of the media outlets found out about this and reported it. OBL immediately stopped using his satellite phone. As a result, we forever lost this valuable source of intelligence. Who knows, maybe we would have found out about 9/11 before it happened. Do any of you know which media outlet disclosed this?
gmac17 Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 i want to say abc news or washpost, but I'm not sure. a stupid one, that's for sure. And just as dumb was the guy who told him....
Tux of Borg Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 A while back, I heard that we used to be able to listen into all of OBL's telephone calls. (Before 9/11). One of the media outlets found out about this and reported it. OBL immediately stopped using his satellite phone. As a result, we forever lost this valuable source of intelligence. Who knows, maybe we would have found out about 9/11 before it happened. Do any of you know which media outlet disclosed this? 40428[/snapback] The CIA trained and funded Bin Laden during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. That's when he was informed of the NSA ability to track cell phones.
stuckincincy Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 I think almost all of them did. It's a far cry from years ago. The Manhatten Project spanned from the Univ. of Chicago, Los Alamos NM, and to the manufacturing facilities that employed thousands at Oakridge. But not a peep got out. The old saying was "Loose Lips Sink Ships". This is the "It's All About Me" generation. Self-esteem has trumped community agreement. The age of moral relativism espoused by liberalism and the concommitant riducule of religious values regarding one's word, honesty, and a greater calling has extracted its price...
gmac17 Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 The CIA trained and funded Bin Laden during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. That's when he was informed of the NSA ability to track cell phones. no - he's talking about the fact that we were listening to every single one of his conversations on that phone until some jackass told the press, who printed it.
SilverNRed Posted September 21, 2004 Posted September 21, 2004 A while back, I heard that we used to be able to listen into all of OBL's telephone calls. (Before 9/11). One of the media outlets found out about this and reported it. OBL immediately stopped using his satellite phone. As a result, we forever lost this valuable source of intelligence. Who knows, maybe we would have found out about 9/11 before it happened. Do any of you know which media outlet disclosed this? 40428[/snapback] Peter Bergen, the terrorism expert who has written a book on AQ/OBL and had interviewed him years ago, said it was CNN who reported it and that's why he stopped using it. HOWEVER, Bergen basically only does appearances on CNN so who knows?
_BiB_ Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 Peter Bergen, the terrorism expert who has written a book on AQ/OBL and had interviewed him years ago, said it was CNN who reported it and that's why he stopped using it. HOWEVER, Bergen basically only does appearances on CNN so who knows? 40656[/snapback] CNN also gave up that the CIA had expert geologists studying the rock formations in the UBL videos, to try to get a fix on where they were being shot. That's why you never saw another UBL outdoor video. Also, the CIA didn't "train" Bin Laden. Do some homework.
Tux of Borg Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 Also, the CIA didn't "train" Bin Laden. Do some homework. 40693[/snapback] 122,000 results in google can't be wrong. MSNBC U.S. intelligence officials believe bin Laden began to turn against the United States in the mid-1980s — a time when he still took aid and training from the CIA
_BiB_ Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 122,000 results in google can't be wrong. MSNBC U.S. intelligence officials believe bin Laden began to turn against the United States in the mid-1980s — a time when he still took aid and training from the CIA 40733[/snapback] I wasn't meaning to be disrespectful. A lot of sites mean to imply that he was somehow singled out. What CIA support there was was generic, and he happened to be around, hence folks say that he was trained and supported by the CIA. In that context, him and a few hundred thousand others. Witness information indicates that he may have been involved in one battle where he actually fired a weapon. bin Laden actually never had much of a direct role in the fighting. He attempted to set things up financially more from the background. His particualar efforts were at cross purposes with the main efforts in some areas, and his support was actually rebuffed. There isn't any solid evidence that he was ever in direct contact with the CIA from a combat training perspective. He was actually more the beneficiary of a "train the trainer" type of operation.
Mickey Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 i want to say abc news or washpost, but I'm not sure. a stupid one, that's for sure. And just as dumb was the guy who told him.... 40445[/snapback] It was the Washington Times and the leak was by an administration official. This incredible breach of security was actually accomplished by the President's people. I will hold my breath as I wait for the avalanche of criticism from conservatives here for the administration's role in leaking this information. The author of Imperial Hubris (a CIA officer with over 20 years experience battling Islamic terrorism who is no democrat) discusses these types of leaks in detail, especially this one. Here is the info: "However, on Sept. 22, 2001, just 11 days after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Washington Times reported that on Sept. 10, U.S. intelligence agencies had "detected discussions between Osama bin Laden's lieutenants of an impending 'big attack.' " The information was attributed then to a "senior administration official," who said the intercept was not discovered until days after Sept. 11. The paper reported the information was disclosed by the senior official to explain why President Bush had "increasingly pointed the finger of blame at [Osama] bin Laden in the days following" the attacks. It helped the White House explain why it had so quickly reached the conclusion that bin Laden was involved." Bush Administration Leaks Critical Info on Terrorist Communication Intercepts The author of Imperial Hubris points out that criticizing the press for these leaks is just silly. There will always be a media outlet willing to publish the info be it a domestic of foreign one. The real key to stopping the leaks are the people who are doing the leaking.
Peter Posted September 22, 2004 Author Posted September 22, 2004 It was the Washington Times and the leak was by an administration official. This incredible breach of security was actually accomplished by the President's people. I will hold my breath as I wait for the avalanche of criticism from conservatives here for the administration's role in leaking this information. The author of Imperial Hubris (a CIA officer with over 20 years experience battling Islamic terrorism who is no democrat) discusses these types of leaks in detail, especially this one. Here is the info: "However, on Sept. 22, 2001, just 11 days after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Washington Times reported that on Sept. 10, U.S. intelligence agencies had "detected discussions between Osama bin Laden's lieutenants of an impending 'big attack.' " The information was attributed then to a "senior administration official," who said the intercept was not discovered until days after Sept. 11. The paper reported the information was disclosed by the senior official to explain why President Bush had "increasingly pointed the finger of blame at [Osama] bin Laden in the days following" the attacks. It helped the White House explain why it had so quickly reached the conclusion that bin Laden was involved." Bush Administration Leaks Critical Info on Terrorist Communication Intercepts The author of Imperial Hubris points out that criticizing the press for these leaks is just silly. There will always be a media outlet willing to publish the info be it a domestic of foreign one. The real key to stopping the leaks are the people who are doing the leaking. 41587[/snapback] Unbelievable!?! To me, this is about as bad as it gets. Arrests should have been made and people should be spending the balance of their lives in prison.
Berg Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 A while back, I heard that we used to be able to listen into all of OBL's telephone calls. (Before 9/11). One of the media outlets found out about this and reported it. OBL immediately stopped using his satellite phone. As a result, we forever lost this valuable source of intelligence. Who knows, maybe we would have found out about 9/11 before it happened. Do any of you know which media outlet disclosed this? 40428[/snapback] Yes. Now Al Quaida is using coconuts with strings between them...
VABills Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 Yes. Now Al Quaida is using coconuts with strings between them... 41922[/snapback] Well now that you announced that we know, they will change again. Loose lips as-s-hole.
DC Tom Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 Yes. Now Al Quaida is using coconuts with strings between them... 41922[/snapback] stevestojan. Where are they going to get coconuts in Afghanistan?
Alaska Darin Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 stevestojan. Where are they going to get coconuts in Afghanistan? 42031[/snapback] The 10th Mountain Division brings them in by boat.
Berg Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 Well now that you announced that we know, they will change again. Loose lips as-s-hole. 41934[/snapback] Ooops. I made notes to myself from classified documents at the national archives, and accidentally carried them out in my underwear. No biggie. I'm really sorry.
_BiB_ Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 The 10th Mountain Division brings them in by boat. 42034[/snapback] Little known classified fact. Since so much movement is done on horseback there, a careful study of Monty Python conclusively proved that several special operations soldiers with coconut halves could create the sound of attacking tribesman, which often times flushes the Taliban from their caves where they are given sensitivity traing and sent for a time-out.
GG Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 stevestojan. Where are they going to get coconuts in Afghanistan? 42031[/snapback] Or did Berg just spill the beans that OBL is in the Carribean - orchestrating the hurricane attack vs Florida?
Alaska Darin Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 Or did Berg just spill the beans that OBL is in the Carribean - orchestrating the hurricane attack vs Florida? 42141[/snapback] Like military guys wouldn't be lining up to invade Aruba...
_BiB_ Posted September 22, 2004 Posted September 22, 2004 Like military guys wouldn't be lining up to invade Aruba... 42142[/snapback] I'm in. This operation would require a seasoned planner.
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