Bin Laden on the Move?

This comes under the category of RUMINT (Rumor Intelligence).

ISLAMABAD - After a prolonged lull, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has launched a series of covert operations in the rugged Hindu Kush mountains of Pakistan and Afghanistan following strong tip-offs that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been criss-crossing the area in the past few weeks for high-profile meetings in militant redoubts.

. . .

The development has fueled speculation in intelligence circles that al-Qaeda could be planning another major attack along the lines of the September 11, 2001, assault on New York and Washington, and the July 2007 foiled bomb attack in London.

However, extensive investigations by Asia Times Online, including exchanges within al-Qaeda's camps, point in another direction: given the nature of Bin Laden's meetings, this appears to be the beginning of a new era for a broader struggle in which al-Qaeda, through its Laskhar al-Zil (Shadow Army), will try to capitalize on the Arab revolts and the Palestinian struggle and also revitalize and redefine its role in Afghanistan.

The other option is that things are spinning out of control and there is a scramble to catch up.  That would be the most benign answer.

The source for all this is a column in the Asia Times by Reporter Syed Saleem Shahzad.

There are a lot of balls in the air right now.  Some we can ignore, but some not.  We are closing in on 500 civilians killed in a contested election in Cote d'Ivore.  Too far away and too little in the news.  Yemen is about to lose a government, but it is not on the radar screen.  Israel is gearing up for a smack back at Hamas over recent attacks, including the beheading of a baby.  There have been deaths in Syria and Jordan.  We know about Libya.  Oh, and the government of Stephen Harper has fallen and elections will be in May—up in Canada.  The election coincides with Scurvy Awareness Day.

UPDATE:  I failed to mention Darfur, which has been a human rights embarrassment for several years.

And the new NATO Commander of the operation against Libya is a Canadian, Lt Gen Charlie Bouchard.  At least he is an airman.  He is no stranger to us.  On 9/11 he was on duty at Tyndall AFB, in the Panhandle of Florida, where he was the Deputy Commander of a NORAD Region.  When you "read" his uniform you will find a US Legion of Merit and US Army Pilot Wings, the latter probably picked up when he was stationed at Fort Hood, in Texas.

Regards  —  Cliff