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Bin Laden Turns 50 -- But No Birthday Cake
March 12, 2007 1:56 PM
If alive, the most wanted terrorist in the world would have turned 50 this weekend. It is unlikely, however, the al Qaeda leader celebrated the milestone birthday this weekend. Not only is he the subject of a newly intensified manhunt, but the celebration -- if there was any -- would have taken place last September.
Bin Laden is believed to have been born on March 10, 1957. However, al Qaeda leaders -- and Islamist groups in general -- are keen on following the Islamic lunar calendar. This becomes mostly clear when they issue statements that are dated according to the Islamic Hijri calendar, which started when Prophet Muhammad moved to the city of Medinah and established the first Muslim community there over 1400 years ago.
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
"Islamists consider birthday celebrations an innovation," Yasser Serri, who runs an Islamist center in London, told ABC News. Serri said even Prophet Mohammed's birthday is not celebrated, adding that al Qaeda leaders wouldn't do anything special on their birthdays, not even the Islamic calendar ones.
Bin Laden's disappearance since his last audio statement in July 2006 and last video right before the U.S. presidential elections in October 2004 led to renewed speculation that he may have died. In a recent video interview with the Arab news channel al Jazeera, Taliban military commander Mullah Dadullah assured, however, that bin Laden was still alive.
Bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al Zawahri, has meanwhile been issuing frequent statements, most recently this weekend.
The U.S. is offering a reward of up to $25 million for information leading to the capture of bin Laden.
March 12, 2007 in Osama bin Laden | Permalink | User Comments (13)
Bin Laden's dead. That's why we only hear from Al "The Mouth" Zawahri. Al Qaeda needs him for a recruting symbol. It would be easy for them to keep his death a secret. After all, he lived in the in the mountain and caves with his few merry men.
Posted by: Jack, Peoria | Mar 12, 2007 5:07:27 PM
If the world keep saying something about Osama, it means we are bringing out his memory. He is already down in the history of time and nobody have any fear about him again. Let him appear as usual if he is alive and come on air to comment on his spread news of death to prove his living still.
To hell with Al-queeda.
Posted by: Chris Africa | Mar 13, 2007 2:46:50 AM
Bin Laden Turns 50 - But No Birthday Cake
March 12, 2007 1:56 PM
Hoda Osman Reports
Hoda, again the bad news. The cake is Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan Sudan and Ethiopia. His appetite is rather big. He is alive and he may light up 50 candles when he wants to. But tell me how did you know that he is 50. CIA leakage again. He was in USA army was he not then in Saudi.
I wonder at times if there was ever 9/11 or is this cooked up tale to go to Iraq for revenge of attacking Kuwait. Saddam is no more so why American soldiers still sweat in the sand. 50indedd life begins at 60 so he says.
Posted by: Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD | Mar 13, 2007 5:55:24 AM
Bin Laden is winning the war on terror.
..The moment the Patriot Act was passed he planted the seeds of destruction for the United States..
..When Bush decided to invade Iraq and kept saying "your with us or against us" (and Turkey said they were not with us, was the day the we lost the Iraq war before it even began.)
..The moment Bush decided that people could be held indefinitely without being charged with a crime or even brought before a court or even tortured Bin laden wins.
In fact, under the Bush administration, the United States has lost the moral high ground and is no longer respected anywhere around the globe.
There are at least 50 missteps that the Bush administration has made on the "war against terror" significant enough for Bin Laden to light a candle for each.
Posted by: thetruth | Mar 13, 2007 2:06:27 PM
bin Laden is a coward, simple as that. i am personally disgusted with any american who says we "lost the war on terror" because american soldiers have been killed in the WAR. but see, during war, soldiers die...that is a sacrifice of their job....and if anyone says "bin laden wins"...
Posted by: Thomas | Mar 13, 2007 8:20:18 PM
Although Osama Bin Laden's dead, he's being 'kept alive' because that serves many disparate interest groups.
Posted by: tao | Mar 14, 2007 7:48:37 AM
osama is a back shooter of women & children, plain & simple. Give him the notice he deserves, NONE.
Posted by: major nasty | Mar 14, 2007 3:59:25 PM
The war against terror has not been fought well. If this were a boxing match, Osama would be winning plain and simple.. And if he is dead, how pathetic is being defeated by a dead man.
We owe it to the troops who made the ultimate sacrifice to elect a Commander in Chief who will implement a smart strategy rather than tough but shallow rhetoric.
Bin Laden can celebrate until a real Commander in Chief starts hunting for him!
Posted by: jumper | Mar 14, 2007 6:25:25 PM
We are winning the war on terror. There has not been a single act of terrorism in the US since 9/11, proof enough that Osama and Al Qaeda aare losing.
They are spinning their wheels in Iraq and Afghanistan and losing leaders and resources every day.
Posted by: Eagle1 | Mar 17, 2007 9:13:17 AM
I bet we're winning the war on drugs in your eyes as well?
Posted by: Evan | Mar 20, 2007 1:26:39 PM
Bin laden lives in a cave high up in the freezing mountains. He is
the president of the cave he sleeps in. Life must be tough for him.
Posted by: steve | Mar 23, 2007 12:23:12 AM
Earlier someone said;
"We are winning the war on terror. There has not been a single act of terrorism in the US since 9/11, proof enough that Osama and Al Qaeda aare losing"
There is absolutely no evidence that Osama has TRIED to attack the US.
When they decide to attack the US, an attack will occur.
They don't need to come to the US to attack US targets. The US just sent 28,000 more targets to Iraq.
If you think the US Dept of Homeland Security is stopping anyone or anything, you are very naive!
Posted by: hajick | Mar 26, 2007 9:31:55 AM
I think this bin laden is one ugly dude. And why is it the picture of him in 2003 shows him with a gray beard? And the picture of him in 2007 shows him with a black beard? Unless he dyed it or somthing, I wonder if one of those arent really him. They must think we Americans wouldnt notice a thing like that.
Posted by: T.J. | Sep 7, 2007 6:20:01 PM
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