Retired colonel helped CIA smoke out Osama: Azaz

LAHORE: Senior Investigative journalist and Geo News Senior Correspondent, Azaz Syed, has written in his book “The Secrets of Pakistan’s War on Al-Qaeda” that a retired colonel Iqbal Saeed ud Din of the Military Intelligence (MI) of Pakistan army had helped the CIA in locating al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden from Abbottabad.
Azaz Syed was in conversation with renowned analyst and host of a book launching Najam Sethi at a local book shop here Saturday. Responding to certain queries of Najam Sethi, Azaz said Saeed, who was also running a private security company (Comprehensive Security Company) at that time had informed CIA about whereabouts of bin Laden at USA’s Embassy in the UAE in contrast with American senior journalist Seymour Hirsch’s claim that the information was passed on to Americans at the US Embassy in Islamabad by a retired officer of Pak army.
To a question of Najam Sethi, Azaz said al-Qaeda chief had come to Pakistan back in 2002 and lived in Haripur, Gujranwala and Sialkot. He further said Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, the then operational head of al-Qaeda, had met with Osama in Haripur in 2002, before he was captured and handed over to U.S by the Pakistani agencies. To another question, Azaz said Abbottabad compound where bin Laden lived was constructed in 2005.
“As far as my knowledge is concerned, top brass of Pakistan army had no knowledge that Osama was living in the compound. Only some rogue elements within Pakistan knew about presence of the al-Qaeda chief, the author responded to Sethi when asked.
Azaz who has also worked as a stringer for The New York Times and the London Evening Standard told the audience that Pakistan Army and civilian government was kept in the dark by the Americans about May 2, 2011, raid in which al-Qaeda chief was killed. “Some individuals might have any information about the raid,” he added.
The book also contained details of meetings of author with former Inter-Services Intelligence chief Ahmad Shuja Pasha, former head of Intelligence Bureau Ijaz Shah and some family members of slain al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden and al-Kuwaiti family.
Azaz’s book also contains in-depth information on Pak-US cooperation in fighting against the Taliban and al-Qaeda and how Pakistan has been instrumental in flushing out militants. The senior journalist also wrote the role of military/intelligence personnel and how they got involved in politics rather than doing what they were supposed to do during the last 15 years.
The author has also highlighted that Col Saeed of the MI who helped CIA in tracking down Al-Qaeda chief had committed bigger crime than that of Dr Shakil Afridi who helped CIA for running fake vaccination campaign, adding some elements within the security agencies don’t want Saeed to be investigated in the case. The book is available at leading bookstores for Rs 800 across the country.