Report: bin Laden pondered attacking Japanese oil tankers to wreck the Japanese economy
posted at 10:05 pm on December 4, 2007 by Bryan
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From the caves of Tora Bora to the Sea of Japan.
Frustrated at Japan’s support for the U.S.-led war on terror, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden once contemplated sabotaging the Japanese economy by attacking oil tankers headed to Japan, a former member of the terrorist group told Kyodo News in a recent interview.
If true, bin Laden’s remarks, made while he was hiding in Tora Bora mountains of eastern Afghanistan in November 2001, would indicate that Japan’s decision to support the United States in the war on terror put it squarely on the al-Qaida leader’s hit list.
The former member, a Saudi Arabian citizen who refused to be named, joined al-Qaida in 1997 and was appointed as one of bin Laden’s guards after the latter escaped to Tora Bora in November 2001 amid intense U.S. military activity aimed at killing or capturing the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks earlier that year.
During their struggle to survive in the rugged mountains, a close aide to bin Laden told the source that “the Sheikh” was frustrated with Japan’s political stance.
If he had tried it, attacking Japan would have been the second most counterproductive move he could have made (the first being attacking us on 9-11). Japan would probably have accelerated changing its constitution to allow itself to arm up, both to protect its tankers and go after bin Laden directly. And Iran, which is Japan’s third largest oil supplier, might have joined the fray out of sheer economic motivation.
On second thought, it’s too bad that either he couldn’t attempt the attacks or some cooler head talked him out of it. The war might be over by now if he had, and Japan would be able to handle North Korea all by itself.
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I would recommend they not piss the Japanese off.
Their version of Guantanamo would be hellish.
TheSitRep on December 4, 2007 at 10:14 PM
bin Laden needs to attend a really good Anger Management class.
I hear they have some good ones down at Gitmo — your tropical retreat from the stress of jihad.
Maybe he ought to go down there for a two month stint of R&R, just to check it out.
Always Right on December 4, 2007 at 10:17 PM
Looking back at the tactics of the Japanese in
World War Two,I say AQ,Bin Laden,let nothing
but fear,and fear itself hold you back! hehe
canopfor on December 4, 2007 at 10:18 PM
You’re giving the Japanese way too much credit. Today’s Japan is the exact opposite of wartime Japan. The public would rather accept defeat than go through another war again. Pussies.
Its Tommy on December 4, 2007 at 10:18 PM
The real question is what did Bush do to make them hate the Japanese!?!???!?
Bodhi on December 4, 2007 at 10:19 PM
I’m certain they can already. In fact, South Korea can handle North Korea by itself. China, however, is a problem….
As for Japan accelerating their constitutional change, I have my doubts. Isolationism is attractive to people everywhere, and there is definitely a vocal group inside Japan who supports maintaining the constitutional restrictions.
Nessuno on December 4, 2007 at 10:20 PM
Hello kitty cartoons 24 hours a day. Puts waterboarding to shame.
lorien1973 on December 4, 2007 at 10:20 PM
You’re giving the Japanese way too much credit…
Its Tommy on December 4,2007 at 10:18PM.
Its Tommy:Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,keep it quiet,
AQ,might not know that, haha
canopfor on December 4, 2007 at 10:22 PM
Their are far worse Anime that would more then likely be played out in(or more to the point; to)the flesh…
liquidflorian on December 4, 2007 at 10:26 PM
I think everbody’s giving Bin Laden way too much credit. So he “contemplated” going after Japan’s oil tankers. Big deal! This stuff is easier said than done. I know we’ve become extra vigilant in America, and I don’t take it for granted, but what has this guy done since 9/11 except literally hide in a cave?
asc85 on December 4, 2007 at 10:28 PM
He has put out a video collection that would rival most pop-artists. :P
lorien1973 on December 4, 2007 at 10:38 PM
Can you blame him? Osama took one look at this and figured they’d be easy targets.
Hannibal Smith on December 4, 2007 at 10:53 PM
So thats why Murtha wants Marines to redeloy to Okinawa. Its all about the oil
William Amos on December 4, 2007 at 10:56 PM
Tanker and freighter cargos are insured. Sink one and premiums go up. A freighterload of Toyotas going to the bottom? Ouch. Lloyd’s members would run for the hills.
Suddenly, China’s products are not so cheap any more, making her economically motivated. Add that to their other beef with Islamic fundamentalists. Roast duck anyone?
shaken on December 4, 2007 at 10:58 PM
Re-arm the Samurai? Oh, hell, yeah!
Kid from Brooklyn on December 4, 2007 at 11:07 PM
Because we utterly destroyed them. We need to do the same to our enemies today.
SouthernGent on December 4, 2007 at 11:10 PM
Re-arm the Samurai? Oh, hell, yeah!
Kid from Brooklyn on December 4, 2007 at 11:07 PM
Hannibal Smith on December 4, 2007 at 11:11 PM
Ah well I messed up that quoting. That’s how it goes.
Hannibal Smith on December 4, 2007 at 11:11 PM
Hello Kitty cartoons, that’s funny.
How about add to that Dance Dance Revolution marathons…”I said dance, haji, DANCE!”
CP on December 4, 2007 at 11:16 PM
For all Japan’s public postering, rah rah feed the world, peace on earth, yada yada yada………we couldn’t have a better friend and say what you will about the JDF recruitment vids….but Yamamoto lives, he is just well hidden.
Limerick on December 4, 2007 at 11:19 PM
Really? Iran would have given up its 30 year old Islamic theocracy because some of their oil got dumped in the ocean by Osama? I find that suggestion remarkable.
I also am curious about the commentariat’s tendancy to puff up just about anyone but the U.S. when it comes to fighting terrorists and other bad guys. It often comes out as “yeah, they can hide from the Marines, Seals, Rangers, and other Special Ops guys, but the (fill in the blank) will really tear them a new one!”
The Japanese? Are you guys kidding?
Jaibones on December 4, 2007 at 11:27 PM
Japan has a well entrenched post ww2 peace culture, but that generation is dying off. Eventually, the internal forces who favor a stronger Japanese posture will assume power. It almost happened with PM Abe, but he was cut down by the pension scandal. Don’t forget, pre emperial japan had a peace culture too. If properly motivated, Japan will
cowboysamurai up again.The problem is, their population is declining so quickly, who will be left to fight?
Dirthead on December 5, 2007 at 12:06 AM
Why aren’t we turning Pakistan into glass?
Metro on December 5, 2007 at 1:03 AM
WOW what a tiny boat! That scars bin??? Oh so sorry bin!!
allrsn on December 5, 2007 at 1:16 AM
Either that or non stop tentacle pr0n. Ugh. Had a roommate in the barracks who had some of that. Cthulhu nightmares for weeks!
On a more serious note, the Japanese have thrown the switch from generally pacifist to raging militarist before, so I have no doubt they could do it again. Ask the Russians what happens when you disregard the Japanese as quaint or isolated. If they decide to go back to the Way of the Warrior, things could get very interesting.
Militant Bibliophile on December 5, 2007 at 4:38 AM
.
“alleged”
.
“alleged”
.
.
Did they put that there so the ACLU wouldn’t come a knockin’ ?
subbottomfeeder on December 5, 2007 at 8:16 AM
This Weekened at Bernie’s XII movie is really unfunny.
sweeper on December 5, 2007 at 8:20 AM
Those silly Japanese, trying to imitate the Village People.
Bigfoot on December 5, 2007 at 9:22 AM
Ain’t that the freakin truth. Dead on.
I voted for Bush twice and regret it (although who else was there). But I’m sure getting a bit weary of him being blamed for everything wrong in America. I just finished Buchanan’s “Day of Reckoning” and was disappointed by the fact that 50% of it was devoted to Bush bashing.
It’s getting tiresome.
Ernest on December 5, 2007 at 9:51 AM
Doesn’t Bin Laden realize that denying the Japanese access to resources is what turned them into imperialists in the run-up to WWII?
Frozen Tex on December 5, 2007 at 10:01 AM
We all know Godzilla would have kicked Al Qaeda’s butt.
fogw on December 5, 2007 at 10:11 AM
Doesn’t Bin Laden realize that denying the Japanese access to resources is what turned them into imperialists in the run-up to WWII?
Frozen Tex on December 5, 2007 at 10:01 AM
Actually, no.
Japan was actually an empire long before they invaded China and Manchuria and Korea in the 30’s.
They may have picked a fight with us over natural resources, but they were “imperialistic” long before FDR pulled the plug on oil and rubber.
Though to be fair, our econimic and military spheres of influence (and those of the European colonial powers) and that of Japan in Asia were intersecting, and war between the Empire and the USA was almost certainly inevitable anyway.
georgej on December 5, 2007 at 10:39 AM
georgej …………
,
I think Frozen Tex was being facetious
.
.
subbottomfeeder on December 5, 2007 at 10:43 AM
I often am. I find it very liberating.
Frozen Tex on December 5, 2007 at 1:26 PM
I had the pleasure of visiting three JMSDF ships back in the late 1990s in Boston. Their first line ships, Kongo Class, are AEGIS. They have F-15s and F-16s and they have very well trained pilots. Their Army has U.S. equipment and is well trained, just not much practical use in the past sixty years.
The military people are serious and would fight back.
Don’t forget the reports of the JMSDF firing on DPRK patrol boats in Japanese waters, plus going after PLAN submarines.
I saw those videos as well. I also saw a serious recruitment video which was as good as U.S. Navy recruitment ads.
Mooseman on December 5, 2007 at 5:29 PM
This could very well happen. Remember the reports some years ago about Bin Ladin having a Terrorist Navy? The rumors were not really given much credit by the Navy back then, but we must remember that piracy is quite active in the SE Asian region. The Straits of Mulucca are heavy with sea going traffic (oil tankers, ocean liners, etc).
Many of the pirates in the region do have Muslim ties. But, Muslin or not, it would not be difficult for them to be hired out to Bin Ladin for terrorist purposes in exchange for large payment. Many of them resort to piracy for money and are descendents of pirates in that region.
The post WW II peacenik Japanese are indeed dying out. Ever since North Korea and China shot missiles into Japanese sovereign space (and China has its boats invading Japanese waters) the Japanese have been getting VERY SERIOUS about self defense and military improvements. The new generation of Japanese just might get very pissed off before long and they will carve their initials in the butts of those who attact them.
The False Dervish on December 5, 2007 at 9:19 PM
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