Libbi's in the can. From AP, with thanks to all who sent this in:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Authorities arrested al-Qaida's No. 3 commander, who was a close associate of Osama bin Laden and had a $10 million bounty on his head, and said today they now were "on the right track" to catch the fugitive terrorist leader.Abu Farraj al-Libbi, who allegedly orchestrated two assassination attempts against President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, was arrested after a firefight on the outskirts of Mardan, 30 miles north of Peshawar, capital of the deeply conservative North West Frontier Province, the government and security officials said.
Al-Libbi, a native of Libya who authorities say is a close associate of bin Laden, was arrested earlier this week, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told The Associated Press.
"This is a very important day for us," Ahmed said. "This arrest gives us a lot of tips, and I can only say that our security agencies are on the right track" in the hunt for bin Laden, Ahmed said.
The Administration's insistence on personalizing the menace that Islam presents, by constant reference to "Al Qaeda" (simply one replaceable group among many, some in existence, some yet to be born) and to Osama Bin Laden, is an understandable error. But it is still an error. If every Al Qaeda leader were to be captured or killed, this would garner headlines. But it would mean little over the long run -- and the long run is all that matters. A reduction in numbers of terrorist acts, even if temporary, would certainly be desirable. But terrorism is not the only, not even the primary, and certainly not the most successful way to spread Islam. Of course, if you see nothing wrong with Islam, if you think the same kind of free and skeptical inquiry, means of artistic expression, progress toward some kind of equal treatment of the sexes, and the enshrinement of individual autonomy, would not be harmed under Islam, then don't worry.
Consider this statement:
"In Western Europe, and indeed in all non-Muslim lands, the mere presence of large numbers of Muslims has created conditions of life that are far more unpleasant, expensive, and dangerous for the indigenous Infidels, and for non-Muslim immigrants, than they would otherwise be, and these effects will only become more prnonounced as that Muslim population increases."
If you disagree with that statement, then by all means -- sit back, relax, and enjoy the obvious islamization of Europe.
If, however, you agree with that statement, then perhaps you realize that "terrorism" is not the only way Islam is spread; that Islam itself presents a grave threat to every single principle enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (and in the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the American Constititution), and that the capture of this or that leader of some well-publicized group is not, in the grand scheme of things, terribly important. And it might even lead some to relax into complacency: the next political leader who crows aloud about how "the war on terrorism is being one" deserves to be ignored. He (or she) shows, by that very statement, a dangerous and unacceptable misunderstanding of the matter.
This is good news.
I wonder, by chance, if this story is in any way related to the April 29th posting
Jihadist website: ‘Bin laden dead’
where Mr. Spencer asked:
Reports of captured 'most wanted' terrorists usually come out days if not weeks after the fact. In this case, the report of Al-Libbi's capture took place
.
That would suspiciously coincide with the announcement of Bin Laden's supposed death. Was this perhaps a warning message the press was duped into reporting?
"Libbi's in the can." Very witty.
Now we need to get Zarqawi, his head-hunting days are numbered.
Robert, I think this is the key thing to note about the article:
"Abu Farraj al-Libbi, who allegedly orchestrated two assassination attempts against President Gen. Pervez Musharraf..."
i.e., the only time anyone gets arrested is when they try assassinating the head of the Pakistani junta.
"No. 3 Al-Qaeda Figure Arrested in Pakistan"??
From what I heard, he was mostly a big puddle of "No. 2".
Geoff
Zarqawi's laptop?
Sudanese intelligence cooperation?
Whatever the reason, let's keep the round up going!
Al-Qaeda has many diseased little clones that will have to be cauterized next, and on and on, until this 7th century cult of mind-death and headlock is reduced to a small and ineffectual barnacle on the star-seeking schooner of expanding and progressing civilization.
We may never completely extinguish the smug stupidity and inhumane hatefulness that sees itself as God's divine executioner on Earth
-but we can sure as hell try!
Squeeze this sucker till his pips squeak.
I think this thread is domant now, but I'll post this anyway. According to the DBC the agents that stopped his motorbike were disguised in burquas. I keep thinking of the late Les Dawson.
Dear me, Granny - so there IS a use for burkhas after all?
Perhaps Allah really does know best - at least in this situation. =)
Imam Geoff