[MR] Re: A little history... frightening

[Ann and Les]

A nice story, but unfortunately, it's an urban myth.  Osama bin Laden was
still a little-known  "freedom fighter" at the time of Col. North's
testimony in 1987.  The terrorist he referred to in his testimony was Abu
Nidal, a Palestinian-born terrorist with ties to Libya, Syria and Iraq.
Amongst
Nidal's atrocities was an attack on the Rome airport in 1985, that killed
somewhere around 20 people, including 5 Americans.  Col. North's specific
testimony was:

"I want you to know that I'd be more than willing ... to meet Abu Nidal on
equal terms anywhere in the world ... But I am not willing to have my wife
and my four children meet Abu Nidal and his organization on his terms."

For more information on this and other urban myths, check www.snopes.com

John le Burguillun

> >>> "Barbara Bishop" <countessbrigit at hotmail.com> 01/08 6:17 PM >>>
> A little history... frightening
> WOW!!!!!!!
>
> LEST WE FORGET--
>
> You know, it's funny. I remember very vividly the Oliver North
> hearings, but did not recall the name of Osama bin Laden as the
> terrorist
> that North was threatened by. Has this sliceable been around that long?
> It's
> pretty evident, in hindsight that we should have listened to OLLIE!
>
> I was at a UNC lecture the other day where they played a video of
> Oliver
> North during the Iran-Contra deals during the Reagan administration.
> I was naive back then but was surprised by this particular clip.
> There was Ollie in front of God and Country getting the third degree. >
> But
> what he said stunned me. He was being drilled by some senator I
> didn't recognize who asked him; 'Did you not recently spend close to
> $60,000 for a home security system?'
>
> Oliver replied, 'Yes I did sir.'
>
> The senator continued, trying to get a laugh out of the audience,
> 'Isn't this just a little excessive?'
>
> 'No sir,' continued Oliver.
>
> 'No. And why not?'
>
> 'Because the life of my family and I were threatened.'
>
> 'Threatened? By who?'
>
> 'By a terrorist, sir.'
>
> 'Terrorist? What terrorist could possibly scare you that much?'
>
> 'His name is Osama bin Laden.'
>
> At this point the senator tried to repeat the name, but couldn't
> pronounce it, which most people back then probably couldn't. A couple
> of
> people laughed at the attempt. Then the senator continued, 'Why are
> you
> so afraid of this man?'
>
> 'Because sir, he is the most evil person alive that I know of.'
>
> 'And what do you recommend we do about him?'
>
> 'If it were me I would recommend an assassin team be formed to
> eliminate
> him and his men from the face of the earth.'
>
> The senator disagreed with this approach and that was all they showed
> of the clip.
>
> It's scary when you think 15 years ago the government was aware of
> Osama
> bin Laden and his potential threat to the security of the world. I
> guess like all great tyrants they start small but if left untended
> spread like the virus they truly are.
>
>
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