Tammy Bruce: What We Knew and When We Knew It: The 1998 OBL Indictment

What We Knew and When We Knew It: The 1998 OBL Indictment

In Light of Bill Clinton's meltdown on Fox this afternoon and his foundational claim that, up until 1996, we had no idea who bin Laden was and that he had not committied crimes against America, I point you to the 1998 U.S. Grand Jury Indictment against bin Laden.

While anyone can claim anything, the bottom line is this document details extensive terrorist activity by bin Laden beginning in 1989. Ranging from training camps, to searching for uranium, to funding and training Somali warlords, to organizing and funding terrorism worldwide, Clinton is on one of two positions: either he truly did not know which makes him even more incompetent than even I have thought, or he did know the extent of the problem and did the least amount possible so as to not disturb the international status quo. With the date of 1989 as bin Laden's genesis, the only president who can legitimately say he had no idea is George H.W. Bush.

I believe the latter is the case. Please keep in mind, the details in the 1998 indictment were not "discovered" within weeks in an effort to produce that indictment. This is a work of compiling intelligence discoveries and facts determined in the decade prior to the finding.

Here is a synopsis from the FAS of the findings. The text of the indictment immediately follows. Remember, this, including the Iraq finding, comes in the midst of the Clinton admin, not the Bush admin.

6 November 1998: TEXT: US GRAND JURY INDICTMENT AGAINST USAMA BIN LADEN

New York -- A U.S. Federal Grand Jury in New York on Nov. 5 issued an
indictment against Usama Bin Laden alleging that he and others engaged
in a long-term conspiracy to attack U.S. facilities overseas and to
kill American citizens.

The indictment noted that Al Qaeda, Bin Laden's international
terrorist group, forged alliances with the National Islamic Front in
Sudan and with the government of Iran and with its associated group
Hezballah to "work together against their perceived common enemies in
the West, particularly the United States."

Additionally, the indictment states that Al Qaeda reached an agreement
with Iraq not to work against the regime of Saddam Hussein and that
they would work cooperatively with Iraq, particularly in weapons
development.

According to the indictment, Bin Laden's group also tried to recruit
Americans to travel through the United States and the West to deliver
messages and to conduct financial transactions to aid their terrorist
activities. The indictment also states that Al Qaeda used humanitarian
work as a conduit for transmitting funds to affiliate terrorist
groups.

The indictment also claims that Bin Laden's supporters purchased land
for terrorist training camps; bought warehouses where explosives were
stored; transferred bank accounts using various aliases; purchased
sophisticated telecommunications equipment; and transferred money and
weapons to Al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist organizations.

The indictment also states that beginning in 1993, Al Qaeda began
training Somali tribes to oppose the United Nation's humanitarian
effort in Somalia. In October, members of Al Qaeda participated in an
attack on U.S. military personnel where 18 soldiers were killed and 73
others wounded in Mogadishu. In another reference, the indictment
noted that an unnamed "co-conspirator" transported weapons and
explosives from Khartoum to Port Sudan for transshipment to the Saudi
Arabian peninsula.

The Grand Jury document, which usually does not provide a great amount
of details in advance of a prosecution, also stated that Bin Laden and
"others" tried to develop chemical weapons and attempted to obtain
nuclear weapons components in 1993.

The indictment noted that Bin Laden issued his Declaration of Jihad
with the aim of recruiting others to "kill Americans and encouraged
other persons to join the jihad against the American enemy."

And this first point on background of al-Qaida in the indictment itself:

1. At all relevant times from in or about 1989 until the date of the
filing of this Indictment, an international terrorist group existed
which was dedicated to opposing non-Islamic governments with force and
violence. This organization grew out of the "mekhtab al Khidemat" (the
"Services Office") organization which had maintained (and continues to
maintain) offices in various parts of the world, including
Afghanistan, Pakistan (particularly in Peshawar) and the United
States, particularly at the Alkifah Refugee Center - in Brooklyn. From
in or about 1989 until the present, the group called itself "Al Qaeda"
("the Base"). From 1989 until in or about 1991, the group was
headquartered in Afghanistan and Peshawar, Pakistan. In or about 1992,
the leadership of Al Qaeda, including its "emir" (or prince) USAMA BIN
LADEN the defendant, and its military command relocated to the Sudan.
From in or about 1991 until the present, the group also called itself
the "Islamic Army." The international terrorist group (hereafter
referred to as "Al Qaeda") was headquartered in the Sudan from
approximately 1992 until approximately 1996 but still maintained
offices in various parts of the world. In 1996, USAMA BIN LADEN and Al
Qaeda relocated to Afghanistan. At all relevant times, Al Qaeda was
led by its "emir," USAMA BIN LADEN. Members of Al Qaeda pledged an
oath of allegiance to USAMA BIN LADEN and Al Qaeda.

So, when you listen to Clinton this afternoon either on the net or on Fox News, you'll have to decide that he is either stupid, ignorant and callous, or smart, informed, callous and self-obsessed. Take your pick. And this man wants to get back into the white House with the woman who helps facilitate this degenerate.

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