TITLE

tracking the ghost of bin Laden in the land of the Pushtun

AUTHOR(S)

McGirk, Tim

PUB. DATE

December 2004

SOURCE

National Geographic;Dec2004, Vol. 206 Issue 6, p2

SOURCE TYPE

Periodical

DOC. TYPE

Article

ABSTRACT

Offers a look at the efforts of United States armed forces to capture al Qaeda terrorist group leader Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Statement that there is persuasive evidence, including statements from captured al Qaeda fighters, that bin Laden is still along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border; Claim that the geography of this location is the perfect hiding place for a fugitive; Description of the people who live in this area, called the Pashtun, and their code of honor when it comes to giving sanctuary; Report that the Pashtun are divided into tribes and clans that are often at war with each other; Graves created by the Pashtun for dead al Qaeda; History of the U.S. involvement in battling the Soviets in Afghanistan; Rise of the Pashtun warrior-zealots known as the Taliban; History of Pashtun freedom fighter and outlaw Haji Turangzai, who was sheltered by local tribesmen for nearly 20 years; Discussion of the theory that a chieftan of the Kuchi nomads volunteered to take bin Laden under his protection; Inability of the Pashtun to betray bin Laden; Report that al Qaeda is spending thousands of dollars on terrorist recruits and war supplies; War between the Wazir tribe and the Kharotis, a neighboring tribe in Afghanistan; Report that al Qaeda and the Taliban gave the Wazirs weapons to attack the Kharotis as long as they killed a few U.S. soldiers.

ACCESSION #

15119890

Tags: BIN Laden, Osama, 1957-2011;  ARMED Forces in foreign countries;  TERRORISTS;  TRIBES;  CLANS;  RIGHT of asylum;  FUGITIVES from justice;  OUTLAWS;  DISAPPEARED persons;  AFGHANISTAN -- History -- Soviet occupation, 1979-1989

 

Related Articles

• Osama bin Laden. Stevenson, Keira // Osama bin Laden;2011, p1 

  Presents a biography of Osama bin Laden, leader of the terrorist network al Qaeda. Background and education; Association with the mujahadeen resistance during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan; Financial support for the jihad against the invading Soviet army; Training received from the United...

• STREET LITERATURE ON OSAMA BIN LADEN PART II: The Soviet-Afghan Years. Aboul-Enein, Youssef // Infantry;Sep/Oct2006, Vol. 95 Issue 5, p22 

  The article presents information related to literature on terrorist Osama Bin Laden during the Soviet-Afghan War from 1980-1989. In major Middle East capital cities, one can find a host of street literature about Bin Laden, but between the wild claims of his abilities to fight Soviet forces and...

• Country Profile: Afghanistan. MacKenzie, Jean // New Internationalist;Dec2005, Issue 385, p36 

  The article focuses on Afghanistan, prior to the terrorists attacks of September 11, 2001 and post attacks. The country had been put to centre stage in 1979 due to the Soviet invasion. After the Soviets withdrew in defeat in 1989, the Taliban took over, who brought misery with their...

• The Soviet-Afghan War.  // Current Events;10/6/2006, Vol. 106 Issue 5, p2 

  The article presents information on the war between Mujahideen, the anticommunist Islamic rebels, and the Soviet Union on December 26, 1979. The Soviet Union did not achieve the results it set out to achieve, that of easily overpowering the Mujahideen. The article explains how international...

• A brush with Laden on the Jihad front line. Girardet, Edward // Christian Science Monitor;8/31/98, Vol. 90 Issue 194, p19 

  Relates the author's experience of Islamic fundamentalist Osama bin Laden while in Afghanistan during its war with the former Soviet Union. Laden's arrogance; How Laden was viewed by people in Afghanistan; Laden's support for the Taliban movement which controls the country in 1998; How Laden's...

• Osama bin Laden�From Hero to Renegade. Curtiss, Richard H. // Washington Report on Middle East Affairs;Jun/Jul2002, Vol. 21 Issue 5, p33 

  Focuses on the life and works of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Education background of bin Laden; Acknowledgement of the Afghans on the generosity of bin Laden during the Afghan-Russia War; Influence of conspiracy and violence on the dreams of bin Laden.

• Making A Symbol Of Terror. Barry, John; Dickey, Christopher; LeVine, Steve; Hosenball, Mark; Power, Carla; Ismail, Jamal // Newsweek (Pacific Edition);03/01/99, Vol. 133 Issue 9, p26 

  Profiles Osama bin Laden, the exiled Saudi terrorist sought in connection with the bombing of United States embassies in East Africa. Characterization of bin Laden by Islamic activist leader Omar Bakri Muhammad and US Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet; Question of his...

• Making A Symbol Of Terror. Barry, John; Dickey, Christopher; LeVine, Steve; Hosenball, Mark; Power, Carla; Ismail, Jamal // Newsweek (Atlantic Edition);03/01/99, Vol. 133 Issue 9, p20 

  Profiles Osama bin Laden, the exiled Saudi terrorist sought in connection with the bombing of United States embassies in East Africa. Characterization of bin Laden by Islamic activist leader Omar Bakri Muhammad and US Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet; Question of his...

• On the Run: Bin Laden. Howard, Lucy; O'Donnell, Paul; Stevenson, Seth; Gordon, Devin // Newsweek;2/22/1999, Vol. 133 Issue 8, p8 

  Notes that Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden is reported to have left the Afghan city of Kandahar. United States offer of a reward for his capture in connection with his role in the August 1998 bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania; Bin Laden's reported connections to radical Muslim...

Read the Article