Pakistani officials have begun to retract claims that a wanted American-born al Qaeda propagandist was captured yesterday during a raid in Karachi.
Reports that Adam Gadahn was in Pakistani custody were the result of a case of mistaken identity, Pakistani officials are now saying.
“Our initial impression was that the guy was Adam Gadahn but that information now looks incorrect,” an unnamed Pakistani intelligence official told Reuters.
Gadahn’s capture was first reported in the Pakistani press; he was not directly named, however. Geo News identified the captive al Qaeda leader as Commander Abu Yahya Azam, while Dawn identified him as Abu Yahya Mujahdeen al Adam and described him as a close confidant of Osama bin Laden.
“Probably the name and his origin caused the confusion,” another official told Reuters.
Gahdan’s nom de guerre is Abu Azzam al Amriki (the American), and he is also referred to as Abu Yahya. The captive al Qaeda leader, Abu Yahya Mujahdeen al Adam, is said to be from Pennsylvania and is believed to serve as a military commander who operates in eastern Afghanistan.
Doubts about Gadahn’s arrest emerged late yesterday as US intelligence officials became increasingly skeptical of the reports [see Threat Matrix report, “Is Adam Gadahn in Pakistani custody? Depends who you ask“]. But Pakistani officials were telling several major wire services up until late Sunday night that Gadahn was in custody.
Gadahn is wanted by the US for treason and for providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He was officially charged with treason in a US federal court in October 2006.
8 Comments
F-Troop screws up again.
Same old, same old. How many times has this occurred? Pakistani sources announce capture/death of jihadi. Jihadi later turns up free and alive.
I’m willing to bet he is in custody, but a game is being played with our side. And even if it isn’t the first guy, we might still have an American treasonous scumbag to indict and try.
I’ve lost count Gringo, more then a few though, seems like once a month.
I don’t believe.
It has been said that they who ignore history, are doomed to repeat it.
It has also been stated by the historians that a major reason for the downfall of the Roman Empire was because they became over reliant on the use of foreign mercenary armies.
Are we (here in the US) repeating that same mistake by depending on a third world country (aka Pakistan) to put down or even “contain” Al Queda?
I don’t get it. Why must we invade “and occupy.” Why not just go in and kill/eliminate the bad guys (or as many of them as we reasonably can) and then just leave? (Of course, I’m limiting this suggestive strategy to just Pakistan, at least for now.)
This may be called a “hit and run” strategy, but I assert that it may be an effective way (maybe the only way) to counter Al Queda’s strategy of cut and run.
Yes, they seem to have the ability to cut and run but then to regroup themselves.
As far as Gadahn is concerned, this guy has in fact publicly renounced his US citizenship.
Also, he could (and should) be tried in absentia on the treason (and other) charge(s). I say after the conviction, let the appeals courts hash out whether or not he’s still an American citizen (which I assert that he’s not most notably because of his public renunciation of his US citizenship); and, whether or not the conviction on the treason charge should stick.
James
“I don’t get it. Why must we invade “and occupy.” Why not just go in and kill/eliminate the bad guys (or as many of them as we reasonably can) and then just leave? (Of course, I’m limiting this suggestive strategy to just Pakistan, at least for now.)”
Dont get it either…agree with you. Nothing sacred about it–Pakistan. For God’s sake its a sanctuary for the worst of the worst>
I wish to confirm that I was killed by a US missile strike AND am in Pak custody. Oh, and I’m not me, I’m my brother.