BIT BY BIT IT A SURFACE
Osama bin Laden death: al-Qaeda leader killed after he retreated into his room
US special forces fired at Osama bin Laden as he stood in the hallway of his compound but missed, senior politicians have disclosed.
New details of the al-Qaeda leader’s final moments revealed that Navy Seals shot at him while he was in the doorway of his bedroom. He subsequently retreated back inside, a move that was assessed to be an “act of resistance”. He was shot twice in the head and once in the chest.
The new version of events during the raid was provided in intelligence briefings. Senator Saxby Chambliss, a member of the senate intelligence committee, said: “They blew the door open, and they looked down the hallway and he stuck his head out of the room that he was in, and saw them, and ducked back in. They fired a shot, and missed him the first time and then went to the room. And that’s when they killed him.
“What you have to remember is that this was pitch dark. When they got into the room with bin Laden, they already had to go through some other folks downstairs, two of whom they killed. And they were having to use explosives to blow doors open. By the time they got to him, they didn’t know what they would find.
“They did find an AK-47 and a pistol in bin Laden’s room. Whether he was making any move to get to that is not clear. But taking him down in pitch-dark conditions was the right thing to do.”
According to US officials, bin Laden’s decision to retreat into his room was critical. One said: “He was retreating. You don’t know why he’s retreating, what he’s doing when he goes back in there. Is he getting a weapon? Does he have a [suicide] vest?” Another source involved in the operation said that bin Laden appeared “scared and completely confused” in the moments before he was shot. He said: “When the Seals reached the third floor, after resistance and physical barricades, bin Laden did not immediately surrender. When someone like bin Laden who has said he wants to kill as many Americans as possible, doesn’t 150 per cent surrender, you have to assess it as a threat.”
WELL DI WHOLE WORLD WAA KNOW
Osama Bin Laden Raid Details Spark Conflicting Reactions In Europe
First Posted: 05/ 6/11 11:14 AM ET Updated: 05/ 6/11 11:39 AM ET
Changing details about Osama bin Laden’s final moments have raised concern in Europe over the handling of the raid.
As the New York Times reports, there have been no official condemnations of the killing. However, some European sentiments are redolent of the Bush administration, when the U.S. came under fire for unilateralism, among other criticism.
Immediately after bin Laden’s death was announced, it was reported that he was shooting at the time of his death and that he had possible used a woman as a human shield. Both of those claims are now being refuted. Pakistani officials have called the raid “cold-blooded,” arguing that bin Laden did not resist arrest, and the human shield claim has been rejected.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel came under fire for saying that she was “glad” bin Laden was dead, prompting widespread condemnation, even within her own party. According to Der Spiegel, Germany’s Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, told Die Welt, “”We must be careful, that we in the West — with understanding of the relief felt — do not send images into the world that could again lead to incitement or to the heroization of al-Qaida.”
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriquez Zapatero went the farthest, becoming the first European leader to say openly that he would have preferred bin Laden stand trial. On Wednesday, Zapatero told Spanish Parliament, “Any democrat would have preferred to see him stand trial,” according to the Telegraph.
Others have questioned the legality of the killing. Der Spiegel asked, “Is this what justice looks like?” in their analysis of the raid, joining a growing chorus of criticism. As the New York Timesreports:
A columnist at the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, Heribert Prantl, asked, “Which law governs the execution of Bin Laden?” He said that American law required trials before the death penalty and concluded, “The decision to kill the godfather of terror was political.”Geoffrey Robertson, a prominent human rights lawyer in Britain who is currently defending the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, was scathing in an interview on the BBC. Mr. Obama’s assertion that justice was done was “a total misuse of language,” Mr. Robertson said. “This is the justice of the Red Queen: sentence first, trial later
.”
You can see a comprehensive gallery of global reactions to bin Laden’s death below.
DEAD FI CHOOT
Al-Qaida confirms Osama bin Laden’s death
Threatens revenge attacks
The confirmation came in an Internet statement posted on militant websites, signed by “the general leadership” of al-Qaida. The announcement opens the way for the group to name a successor to bin Laden. His deputy Ayman al-Zawahri is now the most prominent figure in the group and is a very likely contender to take his place.
  In this December 24, 1998 file photo, Muslim militant and al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden speaks to a selected group of reporters in mountains of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Rahimullah Yousafzai, File)
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The statement, dated May 3, was the first by the terror network since bin Laden was killed Monday by United States commandos in a raid on his hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The statement’s authenticity could not be independently confirmed, but it was posted on websites where the group traditionally puts out its messages.
“We stress that the blood of the holy warrior sheik, Osama bin Laden, God bless him, is precious to us and to all Muslims and will no go in vain,” the statement said. “We will remain, God willing, a curse chasing the Americans and their agents, following them outside and inside their countries.”
“Soon, God willing, their happiness will turn to sadness,” it said, “their blood will be mingled with their tears.”
In the statement, al-Qaida also called on the people of Pakistan — “where Sheik Osama was killed” — to rise up in revolt against its leaders. It also said that an audio message bin Laden recorded a week before his death would be issued soon
PEOPLE DEAD??
Al-Qaida vows revenge for Osama’s death
The confirmation came as newly uncovered documents found in bin Laden’s residence revealed al-Qaida plans for derailing an American train on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Terror experts have said bin Laden’s death on Monday was a setback for al-Qaida but the threat of attacks remains and could even spike in coming days from individuals or small extremist groups inspired to take revenge for the killing.
The statement, dated Tuesday but posted Friday on militant websites, opens the way for the group to name a successor to bin Laden. His deputy Ayman al-Zawahri is now the most prominent figure in the group and a likely contender to take his place.
“The blood of the holy warrior sheik, Osama bin Laden, God bless him, is too precious to us and to all Muslims to go in vain,” the statement said. “We will remain, God willing, a curse chasing the Americans and their agents, following them outside and inside their countries.”
“Soon, God willing, their happiness will turn to sadness,” it said, “their blood will be mingled with their tears.”
The group gave no indication how it will retaliate. But separate details emerged Friday showing that bin Laden was scheming how to hit the United States hard again.
Materials confiscated by the Navy SEALs who killed the al-Qaida leader in Abbotabad, Pakistan, reveal the rail attack planning as of February 2010. One idea outlined in handwritten notes was to tamper with an unspecified U.S. rail track so that a train would fall off the track at a valley or a bridge.
Counterterrorism officials said they believe the plot was only in the initial planning stages. The FBI and Homeland Security issued an intelligence bulletin with details of the plan to law enforcement around the country. The bulletin, marked “for official use only,” was obtained by The Associated Press.
Rather than making vehement cries of vengeance, the al-Qaida statement — entitled “You lived as a good man, you died as a martyr” — struck a tone of calmness and continuation. Though it included praise of bin Laden, much of the 11-paragraph statement was dedicated to underlining that al-Qaida would live on, depicting him as just another in a line of “martyrs” from the group.
“It is impossible, impossible. Sheik Osama didn’t build an organization to die when he dies,” the statement read. “The university of faith, Quran and jihad from which bin Laden graduated will not close its doors,” it added.
“The soldiers of Islam will continue in groups and united, plotting and planning without getting bored, tired, with determination, without giving up until striking a blow,” the statement.
It said bin Laden was killed “along an established path followed by the best of those who came before him and those who will come after him.”
In the statement, al-Qaida also called on Pakistanis to rise up in revolt against its leaders to “cleanse the shame.” It also said that an audio message bin Laden recorded a week before his death would be issued soon.
The writers of the statement appeared unaware of the announcement by American officials that bin Laden’s body had been buried at sea. The statement warned against mishandling or mistreating bin Laden’s body and demanded that be handed over to his family, saying “any harm (to the body) will open more doors of evil, and there will be no one to blame but yourselves.”
The statement’s authenticity could not be independently confirmed, but it was posted on websites where the group traditionally puts out its messages.
Reaction in the Islamic world to bin Laden’s death has been relatively muted compared with the rage that he long inspired, raising questions about his relevance in a region that has been changed by a wave of pro-democracy uprisings.
On Friday, hundreds of members of radical Islamic parties protested in several Pakistan cities against the American raid and in favor of bin Laden. Many of the people chanted “Osama is alive” and blasted the U.S. for violating the country’s sovereignty.
The largest rally took place in the town of Khuchlak in southwestern Baluchistan province, where about 500 people attended.
“America is celebrating Osama bin Laden’s killing, but it will be a temporary celebration,” said Abdullah Sittar Chishti, a member of the Jamiat Ulema Islam party who attended the rally in Khuchlak.
“After the martyrdom of Osama, billions, trillions of Osamas will be born.”
SEX N COFFEE?
Sex and coffee ‘trigger stroke
Coffee, sex and blowing your nose could increase the risk of a type of stroke, say researchers in the Netherlands.
The study on 250 patients identified eight risk factors linked to bleeding on the brain.
They all increase blood pressure which could result in blood vessels bursting, according to research published in the journal Stroke.
The Stroke Association said more research was needed to see if the triggers caused the rupture.
More than 150,000 people in the UK have a stroke each year with nearly 29,000 due to bleeding on the brain.
Bleeding can happen when a weakened blood vessel, known as a brain aneurysm, bursts. This can result in brain damage or death.
The researchers at the University Medical Center in Utrecht looked at 250 patients for three years to identify what triggers ruptures.
Caffeine dangerThey found that coffee was responsible for more than one in 10 burst brain aneurysms.
Percentage of bursts due to:
- Coffee 10.6%
- Vigorous exercise 7.9%
- Nose blowing 5.4%
- Sex 4.3%
- Straining to defecate 3.6%
- Drinking cola 3.5%
- Being startled 2.7%
- Being angry 1.3%
While people drinking coffee had only a 1.7 times greater risk, it is more common than other risk factors.
Being startled increased the risk by more than 23 times, but was responsible for just 2.7% of cases.
Dr Monique Vlak, a neurologist and the study’s lead author, said: “All of the triggers induce a sudden and short increase in blood pressure, which seems a possible common cause for aneurysmal rupture.”
Lower riskThe authors said one in 50 people has a brain aneurysm, but only a few rupture.
Dr Vlak advised that: “Reducing caffeine consumption or treating constipated patients with unruptured intracranial (brain) aneurysms with laxatives may lower the risk of subarachnoid haemorrhage.”
The study only looked at the triggers for the burst. High blood pressure weakens blood vessels in the first place and can be caused by being overweight, smoking and a lack of exercise.
Dr Sharlin Ahmed, Research Liaison Officer at The Stroke Association said: “A sudden surge in high blood pressure can increase the likelihood of an aneurysm rupturing. However, it’s very difficult to determine whether the triggers identified in this study are definitely related to the onset of a stroke as they could simply be put down to coincidence.
“A lot more research needs to be carried out to assess whether each of the identified triggers could directly cause an aneurysm to rupture.”
WHEN WILL SOMEONE TAKE A REAL STAND?
Lutan Fyah
Reggae artiste Lutan Fyah, who is known for songs such as ‘St Jago De La Vega’ and ‘Save the Juvenile’, wants to set the record straight after seeing what he described as a ‘misunderstanding of his lyrics’ in another newspaper.
The matter at hand he said was the ‘bunning out’ of homosexuals which he was said to have done at the recently held Western Consciousness stage show.
According to Lutan Fyah, this was not the case.
“Yuh always have some people inna the media weh seh me a bun out homosexuality but anuh suh it guh, mi a bun out the Catholic priests dem weh a molest the youth dem when dem guh a church,” Lutan Fyah told The us.
mi nuh business
He explained, “Mi sing it di other day at Western Consciousness and mi see where the paper tek it an seh mi a bun out gays. Is not even something weh mi guh studio an record, is just a lyric weh mi jus guh di stage show dem an sing.”
He went on to say that he does not have an issue with homosexuals because he does not care what one does.
“Really an truly mi nuh business if a man waan have im boyfriend, but mi do lyrics offa the situation weh mi see wid the Catholic priests dem but di way how dem write it a like seh mi guh pon stage an bun out the people for no reason,” he said.
Due to the misunderstanding, Lutan Fyah said he has missed out on a show and he doesn’t want the matter to get out of hand.
“Mi even lost a show because of the mix-up. The promoter read what dem write and was worrying that corporate sponsors would pull out and cancel di ting. Anuh like seh yuh see nuh bag a gay a run mi dung fi ban mi or nothing but mi want it fi stop before it even reach dem stage deh,” he said.
Lutan Fyah said he will now be singing more cultural, roots and friendly songs. He is busy working on his new album and singles and is promoting his latest single, Be Mine, for which he is organising a video shoot.
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