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Down Under
Ayman wuz in New Zealand in the 1990s
2004-03-20
Al Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, visited New Zealand and Australia in 1996 to recruit militants, his biographer was quoted as telling an Australian newspaper today. Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir makes the claim in a yet-to-be televised interview with Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television, parts of which were disclosed in reports today. "In those days, in early 1996, he was on a mission to organise his network all over the world," Mir said. Mir said al-Zawahiri told him he travelled to New Zealand to "meet some of his people", then went on to Australia and Indonesia. The Weekend Australian said Mir claimed al-Zawahiri, a 52-year-old bespectacled Egyptian surgeon, had visited New Zealand twice. New Zealand police counter-terrorism boss Assistant Commissioner Jon White told NZPA today systems had been checked since Mir's claim. "We have no verification that al-Zawahiri visited this country under that name, or any of the other names he uses. But naturally, we are interested to know if there are any more details available from the writer (Mir)."
"It's not that important, though, so don't rush. We're busy managing the economy here."
Mr White understood Mir was about to publish a biography of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden early next week, in which his claims were included. "We'll be looking at that." Mr White was confident the New Zealand checks had been carried out properly, but admitted it was possible al-Zawahiri had entered under a new name. "If we were given a name to check, that could certainly be done in very short order," he said. Mir told The Weekend Australian that al-Zawahiri travelled around the world at the time as a businessman on a false passport, "often using Christian names".
"Bob Zawahiri"? "Ayman W. Jones"?
"He told me he stopped for a while in Darwin (in northern Australia), he was ... looking for help and collecting funds," the newspaper reported. But Mr White said no details had been verified. "It's difficult to speculate, but it's not an unknown thing for a network such as al Qaeda to look to other countries to either raise funds or recruit people." New Zealand authorities would work with Australian colleagues on the matter, he said. Australia's attorney-general, Philip Ruddock, said the government could not rule out the possibility that al-Zawahiri visited Australia in the 1990s, but not under his own name.
Gee. Golly. Y'think?
Posted by:Dan Darling

#9  I never have understood how the simple (yet scientific) natives of PNZ ever put together an Americans Cup winner.
Posted by: Shipman   2004-3-20 8:35:36 PM  

#8  Now, now, JFM, regulations say I don't get to keep you, so I just have to throw you back :)
Posted by: Carl in NH   2004-3-20 12:02:30 PM  

#7  I hear the Hobbits of PNZ are cannibalistic.
Posted by: Bulldog   2004-3-20 11:15:05 AM  

#6  I think you are speaking of Papua New Guinea. New Zealand is the first world island who lives in the opposite side of Australia and whose people raise sheep, play rugby, win America Cup and produce Oscar-winning movies.
Posted by: JFM   2004-3-20 9:15:49 AM  

#5  Shoot. Try as I might, can't get nary a nibble. Nobody from Papua New Zealand reads Rantburg ? And now Barry is fishing in my waters, too...
Posted by: Carl in NH   2004-3-20 9:04:05 AM  

#4  Perhaps Carl in NH is suggesting that the difference between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand is, nowadays, only superficial? :-)
Posted by: rsd   2004-3-20 6:33:09 AM  

#3  "Papua New Zealand" WTF? Is that anywhere near Irian Paraguay?
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2004-3-20 4:30:15 AM  

#2  Carl in NH: I dont think that if I lived in a thatched roof hut which leaked a torrents of rain I would be interested in killing people because I lived in a thatched roof hut which leaked torrents of rain. What on earth are you talking about!!!! Peace corps be damned!! That is th US way of doing things If I want to live in a thatched roof hut that leaks, then so be it, don't mandate your ways upon me!! I have been doing this for thousands of years and I will be damned if I want a satalite TV, which may "blow out" because of the leaks in my roof and prevent me from seeing "john kerry" "note the undercase" from belching his invectives once again to the American public. This individual is not only pathetic he is dangerous.
Posted by: Barry   2004-3-20 2:38:47 AM  

#1  Hmmm. I would imagine that Zawahiri would find the recruiting tough in a prosperous nation like Australia, but in a poor 3rd world nation like Papua New Zealand, planting the Islamofascist seed could be a real threat. You would think that after decades of Peace Corp and other NGO efforts in poverty-stricken Papua NZ you would think it would be a more stable society, but when you have no running water, and your thatched-roof hut is falling down around you, I guess Islamic extremism looks attractive.
Posted by: Carl in NH   2004-3-20 1:02:57 AM  

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