Bin Laden’s hideout: To demolish or not to demolish, mull authorities
Forty suspects arrested by police on suspicion of links to al Qaeda.
ABBOTABAD:
The military and police on Friday virtually besieged the city where Osama bin Laden was killed earlier this week amid fears of retaliatory attacks by al Qaeda, and mulled over plans to destroy the sprawling compound that served as hideout for the world’s most wanted man.
Meanwhile, Fox News reported that Pakistani intelligence agencies had picked up at least 40 suspects from Abbottabad on suspicions of having links with Bin Laden. The report was not confirmed by The Express Tribune’s sources though.
Military and police personnel guarded the entrance to the cantonment areas as Abbottabad was put on high alert owing to possibility of strikes by al Qaeda affiliates, official sources confirmed to The Express Tribune.
“There was a very real threat … we have put our operations on heightened alert. The city might have been targeted at multiple locations inside the cantonment areas,” one of the officials said.
Bin Laden’s death has sparked protests and rallies by his supporters across the country, and intelligence officials say chances of retaliation by his supporters are highly likely.
“[The militants] are still there,” said one of the officials, adding “It is a protracted war now. Negotiating one day successfully does not necessarily mean the threat is over.”
Indecision
Overnight, military personnel took control of the compound where Bin Laden was killed, granting credence to reports that it might be demolished to avoid it from turning into a shrine.
“We have been hearing this but there is no final decision yet,” said an official from the local administration. While there’s no decision yet on when the compound will be blown up, or bulldozed, the authorities are decided that it would happen, said a military official based in Abbottabad.
Locals in denial
Local residents, however, continue to dismiss suggestions that the raid in their city actually killed Bin Laden.
“No Osama, no Obama, it was all a drama,” said Zulqarnain Haider, who owns a shop from where the children of now-slain courier of Bin Laden bought sweets and candies.
“Had it been true, there might have been some proof. There isn’t any,” said 13-year-old Nabeel, asking the American administration to release photographs of Bin Laden’s corpse it claimed to have.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2011.
The military and police on Friday virtually besieged the city where Osama bin Laden was killed earlier this week amid fears of retaliatory attacks by al Qaeda, and mulled over plans to destroy the sprawling compound that served as hideout for the world’s most wanted man.
Meanwhile, Fox News reported that Pakistani intelligence agencies had picked up at least 40 suspects from Abbottabad on suspicions of having links with Bin Laden. The report was not confirmed by The Express Tribune’s sources though.
Military and police personnel guarded the entrance to the cantonment areas as Abbottabad was put on high alert owing to possibility of strikes by al Qaeda affiliates, official sources confirmed to The Express Tribune.
“There was a very real threat … we have put our operations on heightened alert. The city might have been targeted at multiple locations inside the cantonment areas,” one of the officials said.
Bin Laden’s death has sparked protests and rallies by his supporters across the country, and intelligence officials say chances of retaliation by his supporters are highly likely.
“[The militants] are still there,” said one of the officials, adding “It is a protracted war now. Negotiating one day successfully does not necessarily mean the threat is over.”
Indecision
Overnight, military personnel took control of the compound where Bin Laden was killed, granting credence to reports that it might be demolished to avoid it from turning into a shrine.
“We have been hearing this but there is no final decision yet,” said an official from the local administration. While there’s no decision yet on when the compound will be blown up, or bulldozed, the authorities are decided that it would happen, said a military official based in Abbottabad.
Locals in denial
Local residents, however, continue to dismiss suggestions that the raid in their city actually killed Bin Laden.
“No Osama, no Obama, it was all a drama,” said Zulqarnain Haider, who owns a shop from where the children of now-slain courier of Bin Laden bought sweets and candies.
“Had it been true, there might have been some proof. There isn’t any,” said 13-year-old Nabeel, asking the American administration to release photographs of Bin Laden’s corpse it claimed to have.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2011.