WAR: US "Intercepts Al-Qaeda Letter"

In an announcement today, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said that US counter terrorism forces have obtained a letter reportedly written by Al Qaeda number 2, Ayman al-Zawahiri to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the suspected leader of Al Qaeda operations in Iraq.

In the letter, it is alledged that current tactics employed by the insurgency may be alienating the "muslim masses". It goes further to say that their leadership is being crippled by continuing arrests and killings, and that they almost resigned to defeat in Afghanistan.



I am not sure how to take this announcement. It seems all to good to be true. When I first read of it, I thought that this could be a very good ploy at propaganda.

The letter is detailing exactly what the coalition have been hoping for, but the ominous lack of an actual "letter" or even a photocopy of the text has rung alarm bells.

Whilst it cannot be disputed that some progress has been made in eliminating the heads of the terrorist networks, the nature of the beast is that there is always someone willing to take their place and there never has been a shortage of funds for terrorist actions.

Many wealthy families and individuals in the Middle East covertly support these groups and provide logistical and financial aid, so to go so far and claim that you have a "mystery" letter, which they have yet to produce, in which it is written that Al Qaeda is on its last legs, seems to be coming from the dreams of a few in the White House rather than actual eveidence of such a thing.


[edit on 7/10/05 by stumason]

Quite funny, you can intercept a letter, yet you cant find the person.

The postal service stands a better chance !

It always surprises me when they come out with little gems of intel like this....

You can just imagine some troops storming a house in Baghdad and amongst all the clutter and rubble of battle, they find a little letter from AQ number 2 to AQ in Iraq commander neatly filed away in Zaqharis pigeon hole, just waiting for him (or his PA ) to pick it up and have a quick read.

And that supposed intel got out of some raid in Baghdad that warned of the "plot" to attack the NY subway...

Both of the above go against the very basic tennest of running a terrorist organisation, I mean, aren't they supposed to be self-sufficient cells that aren't aware of each others plans?

A; Qaeda number 2 man? LOL...I wish i had a nickel for every number 2 or number 3 that is cought.

Ohhh this is too funny

Exactly! Number 2/3 is caught every other month, but another one just pops right up and seems to fill the boots...whether its all true or a Pentagram fantasy, I dont know...

Shame the intelligence services did'nt have the intelligence to NOT interecept the letter.......and just follow the postman to see where he delivers it!

Calv.

Originally posted by CX
Shame the intelligence services did'nt have the intelligence to NOT interecept the letter.......and just follow the postman to see where he delivers it!

Calv.

Theres a thought!

I doubt there is a letter at all....anyone actually seen it yet?

belive this crap and youll belive anything...

That is the best piece of Al-Qaida chatter ever intercepted. If you believe it's authentic, you're a complete and utter moron.

Originally posted by stumason
I doubt there is a letter at all....anyone actually seen it yet?

Zawahiri is or doing the #2?

US publishes 'al-Qaeda's letter'
news.bbc.co.uk...
news.bbc.co.uk...

US officials insist they believe it is genuine and recent.
But it is impossible to check that independently.

Looks like the department of homeland propaganda strikes again.


[edit on 12-10-2005 by Regenmacher]

you can read the letter here too:

www.dni.gov...

[edit on 12-10-2005 by namehere]

Originally posted by namehere
you can read the letter here too:

www.dni.gov...

[edit on 12-10-2005 by namehere]

No actual letter though is there?

Strange that Shrub isnt waving this around in his hand, claiming victory...

One question to those who know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this isn't authentic (although I'm not sure how any of you can claim to have certain knowledge of this):

Why would the writer chastise the reader for killing shia? More specifically what possible advantage would the US have in portraying either of these men as being concerned about hostilities towards civilians, assuming for a moment that the US did actually fabricate it? Wouldn't the US try to continue to portray these men as demons who only cared about death and destruction?

well lets see:

* The centrality of the war in Iraq for the global jihad.

" very convinient for staying in Iraq"


* From al Qa'ida's point of view, the war does not end with an American departure.

"see no.1"

* An acknowledgment of the appeal of democracy to the Iraqis.

"yeah this again points to how the USA is doing the right thing by staying in Iraq and enforcing "democracy", becouse Iraqis love it so much"

* The strategic vision of inevitable conflict, with a tacit recognition of current political dynamics in Iraq; with a call by al-Zawahiri for political action equal to military action.

"again USA must not leave Iraq"

* The need to maintain popular support at least until jihadist rule has been established.

"whatever"

* Admission that more than half the struggle is taking place "in the battlefield of the media."


"dont we know it"



also as i read, they are admitting on how good the US army did in Iraq as well as Afganistan.......more points for Bush again....its like the letter is basically praising the US army.
Look, even if by any chance this is real, its still useless, pointless and plain nonsense. If you see any big significance in this letter, please do let me know.