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Subscribe to RSSAyman al Zawahiri is by no means a shoo-in as al Qaeda's next leader. He is not liked by many in the organization, and he faces competition from at least two others, one of them an American, a senior U.S. official tells NBC News.
In addition to having a face for radio, and not at all charismatic, he is not nearly as popular as bin Laden internally. He has a reputation as being arrogant," said the official. "We could see Anwar al-Awlaki move in, or Ilyas Kashmiri, a Pakistani militant.
Al-Awlaki, 40, is the New Mexico-born American leader of al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula, who had contact with both Abdul Muttallab, the underwear bomber, and Col. Nidal Hassan, who killed 15 people at Ft. Hood two years ago...as well as two of the 9-11 bombers while preaching in San Diego. Al Awlaki is viewed as the most charismatic official in al Qaeda today and regularly used social media, including Facebook and a blog, to recruit members to the cause.
Less well known is Ilyas Kashmiri, 46, who is a leader in the Pakistani terrorist organization Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami, which is closely tied to Al-Qaeda. Kashmiri rebuilt its strength while collaborating with the Taliban. He is under indictment in the US for his role in the planned attacks on the Danish cartoonist who drew the Prophet Mohammed.
"They have a lot to sort out, said the official and it will be difficult for them to convene a meeting," said the official.
Computers could reveal al Qaeda money men
A senior U.S. official also says the initial exploitation of the computers and other digital devices retrieved from the bin Laden compound have proven that the materials "contain very valuable information."
The official, asked if there was donor information on the computers, hard drives, etc., would not deny it adding it was "entirely possible." The U.S. has long sought lists of donors to the al Qaeda cause, those private individuals in the Gulf states who have financed operations.
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LoL After last weekend, would YOU take the job? Do these boys seriously think we don't know where THEY are?
As for where to hold the convention, I hear that Hades is particularly nice this time of year. Demeter sees to it. Just follow the River Styx to where they find the big dog. Poppies and pomegranates await. No sense in sticking around here just to get to the same place anyway.
Is it too much to ask for the MSM to Concentrate on the Positive aspects of what just happened tp OBL & what it means to the Majority of Americans & the World at large?
America is No longer on the defensive with OBL's Death, We are on Offense Now, with what the MSM has already called "A Treasure Trove of Info" collected from the scene!
Wow, AM-
I thought you might be outraged at the lack of due process involved in the "termination with extreme prejudice" by a couple of dozen U.S. Navy Seals of the unarmed, but somehow "resisting" (lol) Osama bin Laden. As I've said, President Obama may have (OMG!) violated bin Laden's civil, let alone his human rights.
Sad...perhaps even tragic, in some circles.
Clearly, Anna Molly...you don't run in those circles.
Welcome aboard, baby.
Oh, pish, Bag Boy, you've always known better than that.
And thank you. I trust that my stateroom is properly prepared as befits my royal status. ;-)
The ship's band will play a glorious fanfare for you as you board, my dear.
D@mn straight, it will. ;-)
"The official, asked if there was donor information on the computers, hard drives, etc., would not deny it adding it was "entirely possible." The U.S. has long sought lists of donors to the al Qaeda cause, those private individuals in the Gulf states who have financed operations."
That possible knowledge alone could lead to those 'donors' stopping their funding and causing the financial resources of al Qaeda to dry up. Then the movement might just dry up and blow away.
....and why isn't Al-Awlaki on the wanted dead or alive list? Seems he is a traitor and a terrorist who is responsible for American deaths.
I think he is what you would call "a walking dead man" no list needed
Promote the American. Maybe he could be turned into a double agent working for the US.
Actually, who really cares who gets the top job? Whoever he is, just put the red concentric circles on the back of his T-shirt when he gets the keys to the Kingdom...
An American to head al Qaeda?
Which is it, Paul Ryan or Scott Walker?
Not sure, but I hear helicopters are hovering near the state Capitol as we write.
Funny... I thought it would be one of the two of you..
Oh wait... Anna Molly you can't head al Quaeda becasue you are a woman, which we all know is respected by muslim men slightly less than their camel.
It's Jimmy Carter fresh from his "man crush" on Huntsman.
Yeah he has the whole gang up there: bin-lying, bin-cheating, bin-robbing, can't find bin-governing but we will soon see bin-recalled.
Funny... I thought it would be one of the two of you..
Me, I'm too old, I'm down to just renting my camels out for nativity scenes.
Too funny, SOTB, and a clear signal that you have no idea what I'm all about, although I've always had a fondness for that old song, "Midnight at the Oasis."
Forrest Grump
An American to head al Qaeda?
Which is it, Paul Ryan or Scott Walker?
Neither, I think it will be the Koch Brothers in unison since they put out the hit list
Healthcare
Cap and Trade
Union Busting
forest,,, it is you socialist libs that al quaeda get their talking points, and didn't they favor your prophet hussain obama in the last presidental election!!!
Adjust your tin foil hat Thunder-2108346, you don't want to miss the next bolt of lightening, that will make it what 2108347.
forrrest,,,Truth hurts don't it!!
It doesn't matter who appoints themselves to the top position to Al-Qaeda or gets voted into this position, I want every American to have their own drone aircraft fully armed searching the world for the next guy with a target on his head. That way we can Al-whack-him!
I wouldn't want the job - right about now...
Go Seals!!!!
Can we stop talking about this ...i cant believe the government keeps spinning this .Just say he is gone and move on !
Let these idiots in the senate and congress do their jobs for once ! Not be preoccupied with his crap !
The more I think about what Obama did Sunday it was just like an Old Style Mafia Hit. Think about it; remember the part in the 1st God Father movie when Michael Corleone was becoming his nephew's God Father in the church. Meanwhile he was executing all of his enemies. The night before Obama was out correspondent dinner ripping Donald Trump. Then he woke up Sunday played a round of golf. This was so cool, then to dump OBL body into an ocean. Just like the old days when they use to dumb bodies into Hudson River. This was just like a movie. You do not want mess with this president! Obama may have some Italian blood in him also along with Kenyon, Irish, and who knows what else.
Obama the Chicago Gangster!
Captain:
This guy snuffed out 3,000 American lives on 9/11/2001. Am I to take your comments to mean that his attacks were fine with you?
If not, are you trying to say that we should have let Bin Laden live out his life in peace, in his Pakistani mansion? Once we found him, we should have let him go?
What, exactly, would have been the proper course of action, since you seem to be so uncomfortable with the decisive action taken by the President?
Just in, No pictures to be released per Obama. Good!
You put a bullet in his eye...then, you don't want anyone to see it.
President Obama generally likes to have it both ways.
In any event...thanks, Mr. President.
A job well done.
"...if you release the picture of Bin Laden,you will inflame the public and the taliban".
We've been through this before.....read between the lines...."No pictures officially will be released"
What they didn't say, "Officially Leaked"
That's the way pros do it, complete with a kickback.
Ah, the ol Barak "Govenment-Knows-What's-Best-For-You" Obama is back. No pics from this administration of transparency.......at least not until the polls "lead him" to do it.
Seems like the Repubs don't want the pix released either... read up and learn.
mini moron really? shut up
Whoopie......I just won a $500.00 bet with a girlfriend who said Barack would definitely release the pics to prove to the world that bin Laden was dead. I told her there was no way this man would do that as he doesn't have the guts Bush had to offer the proof of Saddam and his sons being killed. Not hard to figure Barack out at all.
Surely, Barack doesn't believe that by not releasing the photos that he will gain respect from the terrorists. He's living in a fantasy world if he entertains that thought. There is nothing you can do to change the terrorists' hate against America. Wake up and spell the roses Barack for once in your political life.
Do the photos actually exist?
Now. Never:
Surely, you joke. It's not about gaining "respect from the terrorists." He just WASTED the leader of the their movement.
If you think, even for a second, that a gruesome corpse photo of the recent AQ honcho wouldn't inflame terrorists and wouldn't be included on every AQ recruitment document for the foreseeable future, well, you're very naive.
bilwheeler:
Where have you been living....in a hole. If bin Laden was taken out by our government that would be what would "inflame" those terrorists even more. That would be the ultimate in killing their leader in making them hate us even more if that is possible and make them want to attack us even more.
Never:
So you want to give them the photographic proof he's dead, even if it will incite more attacks, right?
Wow. I repeat. You're very naive. And apparently you care more about your morbid curiosity than about national security.
Which brings us to the usual question: why do you hate America?
The pictures will be leaked one day
Releasing those pictures so extremists in the Middle East can rally behind another "cause" would mean more bloodshed and death. That flipping pastor burned the Koran and see what happened. Imagine that a thousand fold. We had a "birther" crowd, and "school transcript" crowd and now we are going to have a "deather" crowd. We have been paying way to much attention to those folks. I'd say let's "bury" those clowns with Bin Laden, but unfortunately, they're like flipping Zombies...brain dead, but still walking.
Next up ?? Lock and load !!
i believe that osama is dead and that not relasing photos would be in the best interest but...imho opinion the people are entitled to see the pictures. it is the peoples god given right to see them, we have suffered from 9/11. I personally know serveral people who perished then and think that it is our choice if we want to see them or not, not the presidents choice. i dont really want to see them as i know he is dead but many people will and it will help them in their giref. i know that the pics will stir up muslims who were followers of obl and will put our forces in danger, but they are already in danger as it is. to a lot of people it is already a suspicous situation between navy seals going into a county thats supposed to be an ally and killing obl when whe was unarmed(which i would of toatally did too, im just saying) then the day after they catch him they bury him at sea then they wont release photos or dna evidence. i guess we will see how this all goes.
Our God given right? Really?
Then I guess it would have been Al Quaeda's God given right to see photos of the 9/11 victims? Seriously?
There is no such right. None of us has any right to see the gruesome bloody corpses that have been strewn across the planet since 9/11/2001. And it is only morbid curiosity that would compel anyone to look for those photos.
as American we all have the right, sure some only want to see it out of morbid curiosity, others 9/11 survivors need to see them so they can get on with their lifes. al quada is a terrorist org and they have no F+cken rights and dont derve any.
Jeffrey:
You are demonstrably wrong. Show me any document, any legislation, any law, even any LINK that shows Americans have the right to see Bin Laden's head partly blown off.
I'll wait patiently for your proof...
For all the ones that wanted the site bombed - did you read the part about valuable information was found?? Bomb the site all recognition of anything is out the door. This way was much better.
The guy is dead - deal with it everyone and move on to serious issues.
The President has completed the mission to kill Bin Laden, and this traitor will meet the same type of death very soon. The President has already made plans to take out this monster already, and he is able continuing to work on the economy. Here is the bigger question America. Will the GOP/RNC do the same?? Will they continue to spew their hatred against President Obama, and will try to discredit this President every chance they get. The "Nazis News Network." AKA. Fox News. Will now have to turn up their spewing to full power. The "Gross Odd People" (GOP) will be hearing from Progressive voting independent thinkers in 2012. Getting ready to vote yet America?? I hope so.
biweeler:
How dare you indicate I don't love this country. She is the most wonderful country in this world and I would never want to live anywhere else.
Don't you realize that if bin Laden is dead that his terrorist group, al Qaeda, knows it. His death caused by the U.S. would make them want to attack us even more just to get even for our country taking him out. That is all they need is his death by the people they hate the most...US! It won't be the pics.....it will be because we ended their leader's life.
Then why would you support releasing gruesome photos that will incite the enemy and provoke attacks on the US?
In other words, I dare. To call you out.
You want to look at the pictures, you have to take the consequences when the blood is spilled. But don't say you're doing it because you love America.
osama got what he deserved. as for Obama, give the man a break. He IS trying to get our country back on it's feet (even tho I don't personally agree with some of his ideas). As for the photos, do you really want your children getting their hands on such gruesome photos? Way to go SEALS!
Article says "Col Hassan"... guy is a Major. Get the basics right.
The only thing obama has completed is lieing. He is a completed liar. Now he may be the alqieda leader. But heck do we even know for sure that this group really exist. I bet the muslims were going --AL Who---all the time. Maybe he will have the building codes changed on building like the twin towers. These old building just fall staight down when exploded from the bottom. IF Osama did this, then don't ya think he would of had a really nice house with plenty of security. Ya know kinda real safe. Heck the house on the internet pics appears to be slum lord property. This wasn't a mansion befitting a wealthy person accustomed to the finer things in life. If ya look at the photos, he hasn't aged a bit nor gained any weight. OH well if his followers are happy, they wouldn't know the difference anyway. Dummer than a box of rocks. But then again so is Mccain.
Oh I was about to forget Osama was out to ruin our economy. He was way to late our last 3 administrations had already accomplished that. I think we should bill mexico for all the illegals medical bills and get all the dope money back from the drug cartels. This would help us out some. We could also make all the congress folks along with the senate folks pay back everything they have taken also. We could take them to court for failing to do their jobs. Our defense contractors for over charging. Get rid of home land security as that is a total waste of money. Halaburton for over charging and the hired black water group for job incompetence and over charging. Have I got us out of debt. I did forget one, get us out of the UN , Nato and down size the epa. Have a nice days fellow americans.
When you people loose a toothe, put it under your pillow. If you blieve osama is dead the toothe fairy will come to see you. Have a nice day.
Some of us have a "silly" vigilante mentality. The President is a real leader-not a manager-The President's administration witnessed the "take down" good enough for me --these are NOT repubs or palin worshippers, nor trump followers -- so no lies were a part of it. Just believe it! and "get back to work". We've got work to do!!
How clever is Obama? He is waiting until Trump starts demanding to see the photos of a dead Bin Laden. He will claim that there is no proof; no photos at all. Obama will delay and delay until the other wacko GOP candidates jon in and then he will realease the photos just like he released his birth certificate.
Does it really matter who heads al Aqeda?
It seems to me that the citizens in the Middle East are waking up to the fact that these terrorist groups no longer represent their views or support their values.
The world is changing and we need to stop the "War on Terrorism", sit back and let them work it out for themselves. Stop for one moment and give thought to the reasons behind these kinds of acts.
We are Americans! We are better than this BS that continues to permeate our everyday lives by the politicians (for campaign donations) and the news media (for advertising revenue).