Mirakel: Khalid Mohammed, "9/11 mastermind" verrezen!

RIGHT OUT OF THE SUPER DUPER INTELLIGENCE MANUAL

MARCH 14. Here is a curious story reported by CNN (March 12) and authored by Kelli Arena. "Egyptian Gets $27 Million for Mohammed's Arrest Tip."

It goes this way. Last month an Egyptian was arrested in Pakistan. He is an al Qaeda foot soldier.

The man was interrogated. He gave US authorities information that resulted in the arrest of "9/11 mastermind" Khalid Mohammed.

Then this Egyptian had the chutzpah to demand the reward money that had been offered for Khalid's arrest.

He asked for $2 million more to cover moving his family to England.

He will be given the $27 million.

First of all, portraying Khalid as the 9/11 mastermind is a stretch, especially since the Asia Times reported that he had been killed last October. That story (see my archive) mentioned that FBI officials were present at Khalid's burial.

The term "al Qaeda foot soldier" is always suspect, since al Qaeda is a generic term roughly equivalent to "terrorist."

Accepting that this unknown Egyptian will get $27 million is on the order of imagining that Terry Nichols got $27 million for rolling over on Tim McVeigh.

This whole business smells like an intelligence invention. They needed a victory. They wanted to say they had captured the 9/11 mastermind. They assembled a scenario that would play. It included reward money paid out to an informant. The informant, through some mix-up, turned out to be a man they had already arrested.

What could be more preposterous than releasing this Egyptian with $27 million in his pocket, and allowing him to relocate his family to England? Talk about painting a target on someone's back. He doesn't even get witness protection. He gets the added $2 million so he can buy a house in Sussex and raise blackberries and tulips?

Furthermore, we are to believe that this man has reformed? He'll get first-class treatment in England where, with his $27 million, he can set up shop as a very well-funded and effective terrorist?

"Cyril, we have an interesting new neighbor. I think it's that Egyptian man who had a windfall in Pakistan. He seems to be setting up a Stinger range in his backyard. Do you think we should bring in the dogs? Cancel the fox hunt for Sunday?"

A lottery for terrorists?

I've seen intelligence operations bungled before, but this one is being scripted by a few guys on LSD.

Which only gives more credence to the idea that Khalid Mohammed is the mastermind of maybe a small grocery store robbery. If he isn't already dead.

Dead guy, fake informant, reward money, intell coup. Goes together like a horse and the planet Pluto.

Reminds of a story I heard from a former vitamin salesman for a large supplement company. He went to the CEO and said, "Hey, this new product in our line? The main ingredient isn't really what we're claiming it is."

The CEO replied, "Hey, you know how this business works. You throw a lot of shit against the wall and see what sticks."

arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)