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HIDING IN PAKISTAN, an increasingly paranoid Osama bin Laden drafted a will directing much of his €27 million fortune to be spent on jihad after his death.
New details about the al-Qaida leader’s life were released yesterday in a second batch of letters and other documents seized in a May 2011 raid that killed bin Laden at his secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
The letters detail his rift with militants who later broke off from al-Qaida and formed the Islamic State, as well as plans for a media blitz to mark the 10th anniversary of the 11 September attacks.
Other correspondence resonates with suspicion and fear.
In a letter to one of his wives who lived in Iran, bin Laden expressed worry that her dental appointment could have allowed Iranians to implant a tracking device under her skin.
“My dear wife,” he began.
I was told that you went to a dentist in Iran, and you were concerned about a filling she put in for you.
Please let me know in detail … any suspicions that any of the brothers may have about chips planted in any way.
The Iranian dentist might have used a slightly enlarged syringe to make such an implant, bin Laden wrote in the undated letter.
“The size of the chip is about the length of a grain of wheat and the width of a fine piece of vermicelli,” bin Laden said.
He asked her to recall the exact date of her dental work, “also about any surgery you had, even if it was only a quick pinch”.
Fortune
In another letter, bin Laden warned about using safe methods for moving money.
“It is important to get rid of the suitcase in which the funds are delivered, due to the possibility of it having a tracking chip inside it,” he wrote.
He said that funds should be shuttled by vehicle but only on cloudy days — an apparent reference to avoiding a US drone strike.
One document is a signed, handwritten will that intelligence officials suspect was written before bin Laden’s departure from Sudan in 1996.
He claimed he had about €27 million that he planned to divide among some relatives, but the bulk was to be used “on jihad, for the sake of Allah”.
It was not clear if bin Laden actually had access to so much money, if he shared the will with anyone, and if his instructions were carried out.
Bin Laden’s father ran a successful construction company in Saudi Arabia, and the will noted that €11 million of the total was from his brother on behalf of the Bin Laden Co.
Disorganised
The newly released materials reveal an al-Qaida network that was sometimes disorganised behind the scenes and struggling to keep its fighters unified, according to two senior intelligence officials, who spoke only on condition of anonymity to brief reporters on the documents.
The officials said they portray a leader who was aware of his group’s hardships in the field, yet appeared not to fully understand what his organisation could actually accomplish.
Abu al-Faraj, head of the medical unit for al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, wrote to bin Laden complaining about medics, who only received a one-month training courses at jihad posts.
Note the great shortage of specialists, which in some cases makes recovery time longer … and in some cases, injuries that normally would not be fatal, become fatal to the mujahidin.
There is no mention in the documents to indicate how bin Laden got to the compound in Abbottabad, but one hints that he was clearly tired of living there.
I say that the latest time we can stay with our present companion brothers is the tenth anniversary of the attack on New York and Washington, after a few months from now; or at the end of this year, 2011.
He was killed before the anniversary was reached.
Al-Qaida was planning a media blitz to mark the anniversary. The group proposed reaching out to certain media outlets to arrange media coverage, but there was no discussion of a planned attack for that day.
Islamic State
Several documents detail a running disagreement between bin Laden and al-Qaida’s affiliate in Iraq, which morphed into the Islamic State.
Bin Laden disagreed with the level of brutality, such as beheadings, that the affiliate was using and was opposed to IS leaders’ bent on declaring an Islamic State — something bin Laden argued would fail because it did not have enough popular support and could not shoulder the burdens of governance.
“It is a must to stop any reason that might lead to the spilling of Muslim blood,” he pleaded with his brethren.
We must not get overwhelmed by the war, its atmosphere, conditions, hatreds and revenge that might mislead us.
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Democracy is more important than ever as we see where the USA is headed. Wherever we were, they could be relied on to at least keep a free and open society as an ideal, in principle. That’s finished. The autocrats are on the march. The old world order is ending and the forces of anti-democracy, tyranny and hate are on the march. We are entering very very dark times.
@SerotoninWars: We’re never heading into good times, it’s literally never been said. Probs doesn’t generate enough ‘revenue’ across society.
@SerotoninWars: those which got into power both in the USA and in most areas in eu brought most of these issues now faced on us themselves. They’re stupidity and lack of forward long term planning and thinking has helped these so called far right actually gain momentum by allowing the likes of housing crisis to balloon altogether singlehandedly they have frustrated people to turn theyre thinking. In order to prevent far right gaining anymore ground,if thats what they’re actually trying to prevent, they need to concentrate solely on eu member states and how to serve those effectively not everyone outside of it. Halt immigration and only allow necessary people in for now such as health services etc. Get things in order get supply to one day meet demand then see about those outside eu.
@Thesaltyurchin: There are levels to it. The USA is highly imperfect and often hypocritical but it has, for a long time, been a bulwark for international democracy and rule of law. If there’s no pressure from the USA, this will do nothing but encourage the despots. If, as looks probable, Trump gets in, he will interpret the ruling today as a carte blanche to do whatever he likes. He’s too stupid and selfish to understand nuance. And with that Supreme Court behind him he’ll go much further with his stooges in ripping up the rule book. This is far more serious than the usual takes of political woe: it’s a disaster. Unless you wish to see the hardest right of governments, lots of unchecked power and dynasties emerging in former democracies.
@Paddy C: I agree that no matter what your politics, there’s going to have to be some new consensus with some painful decisions to avoid a slide into far right governments everywhere. There’s a huge difference between the protest vote scenario where people want a couple of specific things changed and a wholesale sweep to the far right who have a whole lot of other policies in mind too for when they get into power. So yes, I agree a new dynamic is required. Banging our heads off a brick wall will solve nothing.
@SerotoninWars: this is what people need to understand we have to find a happy medium somewhere otherwise it’ll go to far and the wrong people altogether will get in then we’re into a whole new set of problems we need to now take maybe what some would consider difficult decisions to avoid it.
@Paddy C: I agree. For people like me who lean left we have to remember that there’s a world of difference between centrist conservative governments you might not be fully happy with and actual far right parties. Parties that attract full blown fascists. There are many decent and kind conservatives. There’s no one like that in the far right. Worrying times as we need to generate pushback against the Putin’s of this world, not more allies for him.
Fair play to Cllr John Lyons Dublin City Council for calling out the extortionate prices for the ” affordable” homes in
the Coolock development. Free land given to the developer who screws the council with their money grabbing tactics.All done with the support of ffg and labour.
A certain individual a number of years ago remarked that irelands councillors and politicians ‘ make the mafia look like choirboys”.Democracy me a..e
@D. Peadar: when the general election comes anybody who isn’t usually pushed needs to get out and vote for the sake of it. Even if you don’t want to bother getting involved voting normally just make the effort this time if you want you’re children and generations to come having somewhat of a normal future prospect. In others words hope of a decent job which will cover having a roof over they’re heads and at some point if they wish to, a family and be able to survive and have that chance. Otherwise this country is doomed with a falling birth rate because of what’s just mentioned pension and health systems will without a doubt not be sustainable despite what horseshit comes out of the likes of roderic o gorman and the rest of those fairy’s in there.
Sums it up very well. This is being reflected in the decisions being made executive level and which elected councillors have no real say.
Excellent article
Our local councillors are really just administrators
Dublin ( city centre) is in serious decline because nobody is accountable or responsible
If we want to get people believing in democracy we need to make it much more powerful at a local level as that’s what affects people in their daily levels. We also need a much more interactive system than merely casting a vote every 4 or 5 years
Good article Pat! (Think Copenhagen built like 3 light rail systems during Coivd, certainly that needs a fact check tho lol!).
Well said Pat
The people have spoken and said they are very content with FFG, who regained control at local govt with the support of INDependents, Greens and Labour. #HappyPeople #HappyGovt #NoIssues
@9QRixo8H: Remember the 2019 local election went for FF/FG ? Then remember how the 2020 general election for FF/FG. It’ll tell you the local election means absolutely nothing. The next general election is all that matters.
@Ger Whelan:
A fair point Ger but in 2020 SF caught the mood of discontent and profited big time, and continued upward in the years since until recently, immigration and the recent referendums (especially the promise to run it again!) caught them badly.
It’s easier when you have momentum, extremely hard to turn it around when it’s going the other way
The whole western world is shifting right (except the UK!) Ireland is no different.
A backlash against the cost of green policies is another core factor in that rightward shift.
@Ger Whelan: There are only 3 parties running enough candidates to lead a govt, and the FFG duo maintained their support, so what do you think will happen?
@P. J.: It’s D.peader who needs this explanation not me
@9QRixo8H: They were well supported in the local elections in 2019 weren’t they? In fact overall the win more seats in 2019 than this year’s local elections. As for what happened? I don’t know. But I’m not here bragging how great things looked for any party am I?. Local elections mean absolutely nothing
@9QRixo8H: when the general election comes anybody who isn’t usually pushed needs to get out and vote for the sake of it. Even if you don’t want to bother getting involved voting normally just make the effort this time if you want you’re children and generations to come having somewhat of a normal future project. In others words hope of a decent job which will cover having a roof over they’re heads and at some point if they wish to, a family and be able to survive and have that chance. Otherwise ghis country is doomed with a falling birth rate because of what’s just mentioned pension and health systems will without a doubt not be sustainable despite what horseshit comes out of the likes of roderic o gorman and the rest of those fairy’s in there.
@Paddy C: vote for who? Majority want FFG. Birth rates are falling? If only we had immigration so men wouldn’t want to force women to give birth.
@9QRixo8H: they don’t need to force them just realise that when they’re born they might end up in a tent,b&b or hostel growing up for most of they’re lives. That’s no future at all and that is reality despite the horse crap that shower of utterly useless baffons in the dail are putting out.
@Paddy C: how can a young couple plan on having they’re own family and a home when neither can even afford to rent a room in a flat. They can’t so they’ve given up on that dream and are travelling abroad or trying to have that dream abroad,shame they can’t have it here when they,they’re families and friends all contributed into the tax system most of they’re lives.
@9QRixo8H: So you would prefer to have more Muslims here, who force women to do whatever they say? You simpleminded fkng dope.
SF were supposed to be the next big thing. Nobody knew for sure if they were far-left or far-right.
When the chips are down, people prefer the devil they know.
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