10 01 13 NARRATION
Kabul : a bomb just exploded near the American embassy killing 16 people. This attack on September 8th, 2006, it is the most violent in five years in the Afghan capital. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack that bears Al Qaeda’s signature: a suicide car-bombing.
10 01 45 NARRATION
The capture of Ossama Bin Laden and destruction of the Taliban regime is the armed coalition’s mission in Afghanistan: the greatest internantional mobilization since World War 2.
10 01 59 Déclaration G.W. Bush - Octobre 2001
(Georges W. Bush – Octobre 2001).
The United States military has begun strikes against al Qaïda training camps and military installations of the taliban regime.
10 01 10 NARRATION
Side by side with the American GI’s, over 10 000 elite soldiers of the coalition forces search for Al Qaeda’s commander, night and day, but after five years, Ossama Bin Laden still eludes them.
He is the leader of the most notorious terrorist group of all times. A group that brought America to its knees on September 11th, 2001.
And the man is still at large. Somewhere in the mountains, between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
10 01 42 NARRATION
Before 2001, Bin Laden had all the time he needed to prepare his war in Afghanistan : thousands of fighters came in and out of his training camps. Because, as early as 1996, he was put under the protection of the Taliban régime.
10 02 00 NARRATION
Five years after the peace-keeping forces arrived, Al Qaeda’s fighters are still here, assisted by Taliban rebels.
We filmed these exclusive scenes in the province of Ghazni, less than two hours away from Kabul. We are among the few journalists to be allowed to interview a group of Taliban fighters since 2001.
10 02 24 ITW Talibans
Taliban 1
We are fighting the Americans because they took away our independence and they’re occupying our country. We are also fighting the government because it’s supporting the occupying forces.
10 02 39 Taliban 2
We don’t have to deal directly with Ossama Bin Laden. We get our orders from Mollah Omar by letter, by tape or other means.
10 03 00 NARRATION
This camp has a few dozen trained fighters : they eat, sleep and live with their weapons. They are the Taliban, but also young fundamentalists recruited in the South Afghan tribes. Pakistanese and Arab Islamists come here, on a regular basis, to train them.
10 03 21 NARRATION
Camps like these develop very quickly in Afghanistan. In all, the Taliban have about 15 to 20 thousand fighters at their disposal.
Their objective: to take back control of the country.
Their method: terrorism, surprise-attacks against the West lead by small stand-alone groups.
Their weaponry: antitank rockets, kalashnikovs, automatic guns.
They move very fast, on bikes.
10 03 39 NARRATION
On this particular day, the Taliban are getting ready to attack a police station. They offer to let us come along, but we refuse. We do not want to be involved in a terrorist outrage.
Attacks are multiplying in Afghanistan. The country has become one of the most dangerous places in the world.
10 04 11 NARRATION
In this context of extreme violence, we have been trying to understand why Ossama Bin Laden, the most wanted man on the surface of the earth is still at large.
10 04 34 NARRATION
We are driving back to Kabul. We want to see the Americans.
A few days after our arrival, Luke Knitting, NATO spokesman is giving is weekly press conference in front of about 30 journalists of the International press.
For more than 20 minutes, Major Knitting goes on about field successes of the Western armies against Taliban rebels.
10 05 00 Major Luke Knitting, porte-parole OTAN - NATO spokesman long speech.
10 05 27 NARRATION
NATO deployed 30 000 men to secure Afghanistan but each day the country moves closer to anarchy.
When we ask the Major about Bin Laden, his attitude quickly changes.
10 05 39 Question Emmanuel / Emmanuel’s Question
Is Ossama Bin Laden’s capture still a priority for the coalition ?
10 05 45 Major Luke Knitting
I primarly wear this ISAF badge to try to get accross this kind of question. I am not a coalition soldier even if obviously I come from the American army. I’ll let the Coalition speek for themselves. Their mission here continues. They can answer that question probably better than I.
10 06 02 Question Emmanuel / Emmanuel’s Question
Are there still links between Taliban fighters in the South and Al-Qaeda ?
10 06 11 Major Luke Knitting
We are just not that interested in labels.
10 06 17 NARRATION
End of the press conference, we won’t get any answers to our questions.
10 06 20 NARRATION
You can only wonder if the foreign troops in Afganistan really want to arrest the most dangerous terrorist in the world.
10 06 30 NARRATION
Late afternoon in the Kabul’s great bazar. In spite of the growing number of terrorist attacks, the crowd are out shopping.
Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the city has changed its appearance: we see more and more women in the streets. The markets once again have goods fore sale. Billions of dollars have been invested by the international community to rebuild the country.
Misery however, can be found everywhere.
Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Over 40% of the population are unemployed. Those who work have to survive on 40 dollars a month, when in facts, it takes 200 to support a family.
In this context of misery and violence, many Afgans wonder why the Americans still haven’t arrested those responsible for the situation. To them, Bin Laden and his troops are getting help from Pakistan’s secret service.
10 07 24 ITW Homme du marché / A merchant in the local market
It’s obvious that Pakistan is protecting Ben Laden as it has always done. That is why he is over there now. He does not have any other place to go anyway. Pakistaneses have protected him since the beginning and they allow him to go all the way to Afghanistan.
10 07 44 NARRATION
Pakistan, officially an ally of the Americans, is accused of playing both sides : they’re secretly helping the Islamists, Amercia’s ennemies.
Furthermore, it was our Pakistanese contacts who made it possible for us to meet and film the Taliban near Kabul.
Pakistan protector of Bin Laden’s troops: the idea is largely held by certain Afghan officials. We have a meeting with one of Ahmid Karzaï’s close advisors: he agrees to meet us on condition that we don’t show his face.
10 08 19 NARRATION
For 4 years, this man attended meetings with the Americans dedicated to the capture of Ossama Bin Landen. And he goes even further: according to him, the Bush administation itself doesn’t want to capture the leader of Al Qaeda.
10 08 31 ITW Conseiller Karzaï - Interview of Karzaï’s advisor
There are friendly relationship that goes back a long way. You know, the U.S. are the ones who supported him and made him very famous.
10 08 51 Question Emmanuel - Emmanuel’s Question
Does the American secret service have relations with people who are close to Ben Laden?
10 09 00 Conseiller Karzai - Karzai former cabinet member
When American helicopters give weapons to the Afghan forces, these same helicopters are giving the same things to the Taliban. That shows that there are very secret ties between the Taliban fighters and the Americans one way or another.
10 09 31 Question Emmanuel - Emmanuel’s Question
Are the Taliban fighters still linked to Al Qaeda?
10 09 36 Conseiller Karzai - Karzai former cabinet member
Yes, of course. There is a very strong coordination between the Taliban, Al Qaïda and Pakistanese secret services, of course.
10 09 53 NARRATION
An unbelievable statement that would explain the growing anger of the Afghans who are turning against the West. To see for ourselves, we decided to meet the French troops who have taken command of the Kabul region. 1,200 soldiers, based in a strongly protected camp. They run the risk of being attacked by the Taliban at any moment.
10 10 17 NARRATION
Just outside the town, about ten French military personnel are assisting the Afghan police in its mission of securing the area.
10 10 30 ITW Soldat français - French soldier
In our area, we have good contact with the population and the authorities : police, Afghan national army. Which does not prevent bomb attacks from time to time, especially in the cities.
We are used to patrolling on foot in the cities, which many other nations don’t do. The French were the first ones to do it, and we are one of the rare nations to still do it on the Afghan territory.
10 10 56 NARRATION
The official word from the French army remains diplomatic, but in Kabul, not everybody is as reserved. In these troubled times, people are starting to talk. We have a meeting with the director of the World Bank, Jean Mazurel.
He had once been one of the top diplomats in the Afghan governement in managing Western aid in Afghanistan.
A few days before retiring, this high official no longer has any illusions as to the real reasons for the American military presence in Afganistan.
10 11 30 ITW Jean Mazurel – WORLD BANK
The reason why the American forces are here is more because Afghanistan has become a sort of geopolitical aircraft carrier stuck between fragile and vulnerable Pakistan and Iran, representing the threat we all know
and maintaining their army located 10 minutes from Islamabad and Teheran is more important than fighting the Taliban.
I was invited to the American Embassy. I was with the deputy ambassador. The Afghanistan Minister of Foreign Affairs complained that the American government did not put enough pressure on the Pakistanese government to secure the border which is extremely porous, thus allowing the Taliban to shuttle back and forth between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The American official responded: Pakistan and its president are vulnerable and we will do nothing to increase Pakistan’s vulnerability. I understood that when it came to choosing between Pakistan’s or Afghanistan’s stability, Americans would not hesitate, not for a second… But everybody suspected as much, given the threat Pakistan would represent if it became an Islamic country.
10 12 46 NARRATION
If the Americans don’t want stability in Afghanistan, why send elite soldiers to capture Al Qaeda’s leader ?
Officially, the French Special Forces have this mission. Their headquarters is in Jalalabad.
That’s where we must go to continue our report.
We want to understand how Bin Laden made it out of Tora Bora and most of all, how he was able to escape the coalition troops.
Aziz, our guide, is going to drive us there. For our security, he asks us to dress like Afghans. We need to be as inconspicuous as possible: outside Kabul, danger lurks everywhere.
10 13 27 CARTE – MAP : Kabul to Jalalabad - NARRATION
The road to Jalalabad is one of the only Afghan roads that lead to Pakistan… Halfway between the Pakistanese border and Tora Bora where Bin Laden was last officially seen at the end of 2001, before the American bombings.
10 13 47 NARRATION
This road is a major highway for Afghanistan.
10 14 05 NARRATION
Few cars, but many trucks loaded with merchandise.
Almost everything that is sold in the Afgan market places comes froms Pakistan.
10 14 15 NARRATION
This road is used for trafficking of every kind.
10 14 30 NARRATION
We are going to be stopped more than 10 times at the Afghan police check-points during our 125-mile-long trip.
The police are more alert now since the Taliban have been gaining ground.
At each check-point, we have to talk, sometimes pay and be as discrete as possible. Here, everyone is armed and the tension is palpable.
10 15 16 NARRATION
Jalalabad, this Pashtun city has long been a gathering place for Jihad fighters from all over.
They have left their trace on this place once known for its hospitality ans which now seems cut off from the rest of the world.
10 15 45
A city under high surveillance where our camera is not welcome.
10 15 50
Stop! Never shoot in this area, OK? You got it?
10 15 55 NARRATION
We are on our way to the airport. Behind these walls and this barbwire: the camp of the French special forces under American command.
The Afghan army is guarding the entire area. Here, there are no two-ways about it, it is strictly forbidden to film. We try to make it back to the French camp.
10 16 10 Emmanuel
What does he say ?
Guide/Fixer
He says that we are filming the airport which is completely banned I stop them and will not let them go!
10 16 40 Emmanuel
OK. Eric swap the tape, swap your tape, they want to take the tape.
10 16 48 NARRATION
It is impossible for us to meet the French soldiers. They seem to have been informed of our report. But the subject is sensitive. The name of Ossama Bin Laden has become taboo for the military authorities.
10 17 07 NARRATION
Since 2003, these 200 French elite soldiers whom we are trying to meet have been lent by France to the Americans. They go regularly to the front to fight the Taliban. 9 of them have been killed over the past few months: it’s a heavy toll.
10 17 23 NARRATION
We are driving away from the airport to contact the french Joint Chief of Staff in Paris, we are trying to learn more about what is happening and mostly we are trying to get permission to film.
10 17 34 ITV Téléphone Colonel Etat Major Français - Colonel of the French Etat Major
We have already suffered casualties, 9 dead out of 200, which is high, very high. We mustn’t do anything that would jeopardize their situation.
I am really sorry. Under other circumstances, may be not so far from the action, we may be able to introduce you to people who could talk about their job, but for the time being it just can’t be done.
10 18 05 Emmanuel
OK, as journalists, We consider them to be French representatives on Afghan territory. I Think you can understand.
10 18 20 Colonel Etat Major Français - Colonel of the French Etat Major
Talking about them would be endangering their lives. Goodbye.
10 18 33 NARRATION
Once again, filming is strictly forbidden.
Why do the French special forces refuse to talk to us? What are they doing in Jalalabad? Are they looking for Bin Laden? Do they know where he is hidding?
10 18 46 NARRATION
A few months ago, we were given special permission to film French soldiers from the COS : special operations command. Exclusive images as they were leaving on their mission side by side with the Afghan army.
These elite troops must never show their face.
Finally, we were able to obtain a secret meeting with a French soldier. We have to hide his iddentity but he informs us that twice, the French special forces had Bin Laden in their gun sights.
10 19 13 Soldat français voix masquée - French special forces
It’s true, I can testify that in 2003 and 2004, we did indeed make visual contact and then had him in our gun sights. The sniper said: “I have a lock on Bin Laden”.
We were at the heart of action; it was night time. Gunfire all around us…we were trying to stay out of sight…we were tranched…Don’t forget the context. By the time the Americans were informed, there was no snapshot. Or the report was correct, and then it’s a problem of decision, and decision was made in Baghram.
The truth is at that moment, there was a hesitation in the chain of command.
10 19 48 NARRATION
This account has been dubbed to prevent us from identifying the soldier’s voice. On two occasions the French sharp shooters were waiting in position, yet no order arrived from Baghram, the American headquarters which supervised the mission of the French soldiers in the COS...and Bin Laden got away.
10 20 15 NARRATION
To find out more, we go to see Abdullah, on of our old acquaintances.
He is one of the prominent figures in the city of Jalalabad. Someone close to the war lords aiding the Americans in their search for Bin Laden in 2001. Nothing happens in this region without his knowing about it.
10 20 36 NARRATION
Abdullah takes us to the ruins of Bin laden’s house in Jalalabad. An impressive dwelling of over 500 square meters: the leader of Al Qaeda had brought his wife here as well as his guardmen from Yemen.
Abdullah will reveal some surprising information on the reasons why Bin Laden came here and on the way he escaped when the coalition forces where about to arrest him.
10 21 07 ITV Abdullah dans la maison de Ben Laden - Abdullah in Ben Laden’s house.
I think Jalalabad for a couple of reasons. One because of the closeness of Tora Bora here, I guess they thought it was a good place for trainnig for them. And also taking advantage of the Pashtoun hospitality, where anyone can takes safety. You have to protect him.
10 21 32 NARRATION
Ossama Bin Laden had chosen Jalalabad for its proximity to the mountains of Tora Bora, which run along the Pakistanese border. A perfect location which enabled him to receive logistical aid from Pakistan, and to get away easily in the event of an American attack.
10 21 56 ITW Abdullah 2
There were only 50 American forces here. But I guess most of them were with general Azrat Ali at that time, and some, British and American, were with Hadji Zaman. The third commander was Hadji Zaer, he didn’t have any American with him.
I think the whole thing was that the planning was not properly done. The mountin passes, the caravan roads, were not properly secured. Anyone that has taken part in a war or in a fighting knows before you attack a place you surround the place. They were not going to wait for the B52 bombers.
And also, there were negociations with the Taliban at that time to surrender. That gave them a lot of time to escape.
10 22 56 Emmanuel
Why after five years, the coaltion didn’t capture Ossama Bin Laden?
10 23 03 ITW Abdullah 3
Every Afghan have this question in their mind : why aren’t Ossama and mollah Omar captured ? Is there some kind of a game going on here in this region ?
Maybe the world is not interested in capturing him, but the Afghans are very insecured. Why isn’t it happening?
10 23 30 NARRATION
Was the American army a victim of a lack of coordination ? Or did it deliberately begin negociations with the Taliban, giving Ossama Bin Laden enough time to escape?
In order to get the answer, we go to Tora Bora, a few hours away from Jalalabad. But the Taliban are monitoring the road. Remote-controlled bomb attacks are frequent. We will have to be extremely careful. Abdullah will look out for our safety.
10 23 58 ITW Abdullah 4
Cover your face, and don’t film to much on the road to Tora Bora, or you might get a bomb on your way back.
10 24 13 NARRATION
We are obligated to take an escort.
There are mines along the road. The day before, the Taliban assassinated two commanding officers of the Afghan police. A short stop at an unlikely Afghan police hide-out and we are back on our way accompanied by armed men.
10 24 29 CARTE – MAP : Jalalabad to Tora-Bora - NARRATION
Tora Bora is on a moutain road, close to the Pakistanese border. This is where Bin Laden escaped the caolition forces in 2001.
10 24 40 NARRATION
It is here in the mountains of Tora Bora that we have a meeting with the Rugiani tribe.
A few hundred men, women and children live here under the the authority of their chief: Haji Abdullah.
10 24 57 NARRATION
This warlord is highly respected. He is part of the mujahedeen commanders who offered their help to the Americans to arrest Bin Laden at the end of 2001. An offer that, he says, was refused.
Like a growing number of Afghans, Haji Abdullah believes that Al Qaeda’s leader was able to take advantage of the Americans’ complacency in order to escape.
10 25 18 Itw Haji Abdullah
Definitely yes. I know that some of the leaders you are talking about can move through tribal regions, especially along the border, because they convince the villagers to help them through religion, Islam. It is very easy for them to travel in that zone without any problem.
10 25 33 Emmanuel
Why don’t the Americans catch them?
10 25 44 Hadji
We know very well that Americans are not interested in capturing him.
Emmanuel
Why not?
Hadji
That’s exactly the question, you’d better ask them directly.
10 26 02 Emmanuel
Can you tell us how Ossama escaped from this area in 2001?
Hadji
I don’t believe he escaped. Someone let him go. The Americans have the means to control and see everything from air space. So how could they miss the 70 people who were with him? Apparently, they let him go.
10 26 21 Emmanuel
Why do you think they did that?
10 26 26 Hadji
Better fish in troubled waters, as we say in Pashtoun.
10 26 33 Emmanuel
You mean that the coalition let the place very clear to help him escape?
10 26 40 Hadji
Yes, absolutely !
I suggested that the Americans give me the responsibility and the necessary means to have the job done. If they had done that I’m 99% sure I would have caught OBL. Why? Because I’m from this region and I know it better than anyone. But they wouldn’t accept my help so he was able to escape.
10 27 03 Manu
The Special forces are based here now. Do you think they’re here because of Oussama?
Hadji
Yes, absolutely. They are here for something. They’re not crazy.
10 27 19 NARRATION
From Kabul to Jalalabad, accusations against the Americans are growing. It could be, however, just coordination problems or a lack of knowledge of the region.
10 27 33 NARRATION
One man may very well have the answer. His name: Haji Zaher. This war lord has become a general of the Afghan police. He is one of the three Afghan commanders who helped the Americans during the Tora Bora attack.
He is very close to the Americans and has already received death-threats from Al Qaeda.
He is going to surprise us: for the first time, it talks about what happened during the Tora Bora attack and his story sounds unbelievable.
10 28 12 Jalalabad - ITV Général Hadji Zaher
There is one thing I have to tell you: there is rumour, and there are true things. Myself, I’m not following rumours, I’m trying to follow the truth and get correct informations.
10 28 31 NARRATION
When the Tora Bora fighting started, there was three Afghan commanders. One was me.
We decided to attack, but Hadji Zaman came and said : “no, today we don’t need to attack, because they sent a message to me saying that tomorrow, at 8 in the morning, they’re going to surrender. And the mission stopped, just because Hadji Zaman said he was in contact with them ans they were going to put their guns down.
But in the morning, at 8, we didn’t hear anything from them. The B52 came, and drew an 8 in the sky, which meant time was over. After that the figting restarted, but we didn’t caught anyone of them.
Why the the plan was weak? I don’t know myself, but as a professionnal soldier, I have to accept the facts.
10 30 01 NARRATION
Why did the Americans let Ossama Bin Laden escape ?
At this stage of our investigation, the idea of Pakistanese pressure still seems to be the most likely possibility.
To reach our final destination, we must cross the border and enter Pakistan.
10 30 18 NARRATION
For this dangerous trip across the mountains, we will once more need an escort. The Taliban are still here, hidden in the shadows, ready to attack any convoy.
Once again the Afghani police will be our body guards…
Their chief helps us because he thinks our presence will allow him to get his message across. His mission is to secure an Al Qaïda and Taliban-infested region but he does not have enough manpower at hand. He needs to let people know that he needs more means.
10 30 58 Travelling route – Road shots
We are going to be driving for a long time.
Moreover, we wonder if the Americans ended up giving in to Pakistan’s pressure.
Just as many of the people we interviewed have explained: the Americans do not want to run the risk of Islamists turning Pakistan into a blood bath if Ben Laden is captured, for he is a true icon for a lot of Pakistaneses.
10 31 21 CARTE – MAP : Tora-Bora to Daqa
After driving for a day, we arrive at Daqa, along the Pakistanese border.
10 31 30 Fortin - The fort - NARRATION
In this small fort, we meet Nazim Jabar Kheil, its commander.
He is the leader of a phantom brigade, somewhere in the middle of the mountains. Their mission: to stop Taliban and Al Qaïda’s fighters crossing the border.
A few dozen meters from here: Pakistan.
This garrison is of utmost importance to the coalition. But commander Nazim is disgusted with the insufficient means at his disposal.
He is also very critical of Pakistan’s secret service that may be protecting the leader of Al Qaïda.
10 32 18 ITW Commandant Nazim Jabar Kheil
We have a 1550 mile-long common border with Pakistan. I have myself been an officer here for the past 4 and half years.
And I can assure you that most of our problems come from this region.
Oussama is not in the Afghan tribes. It is obvious he’s hiding over there, on the Pakistanese side.
10 33 40 ITW Commandant Nazim Jabar Kheil
You need to call a spade a spade: if we go back 15 years, we have proof that Pakistanese secret services helped Al Qaeda people in the war in Afghanistan, here as well as in Mazar E Sharif or Chamali. Today, Pakistan has not changed its politics and no one in Afghanistan has any doubt about it.
10 33 12 Routes & Paysages – Road and mountains shots - Narration
Everywhere, Afghan police and military are getting increasingly bitter.
They now feel they’ve been given a raw deal.
Millions of Dollars have been invested in Afghanistan to find Bin Laden and his troops. Afghans, however, are exasperated by their lack of means, and accuse their American allies of giving in to Pakistan…
10 33 24 CARTE – MAP : Daqa to Peshawar - NARRATION
So we must go to Peshawar to find some kind of explanation and understand why everyone has been pointing their finger at Pakistan since the beginning of our report.
10 33 43 NARRATION
On the road, we drive through the well-known tribal zones: in the midst of the border region, it is the main area for all sorts of trafficking. We are very close to the place where Bin Laden was last seen just a few months ago.
10 33 59 Poste frontière – Border - NARRATION
We are driving through the border checkpoint in Thoram. There, we find ourselves in the most difficult moment of our report: our encounter with the Afghan army.
10 34 10 NARRATION
We are filming the border zone when about ten armed men stop us. Video cameras are strictly forbidden here. We barely have time to hide our tapes before they deliver us to the American army.
After two hours, we are allowed to cross the border.
On the other side, the Pakistanese army ready to escort us, weapons in hand. No way can we take our camera out.
10 34 44 NARRATION
Peshawar. Capital of the North West frontier province. It’s close to Waziristan, where Bin laden is thought to be hiding.
10 34 55 NARRATION
With nearly 800 000 inhabitants, Peshawar is seen as a bastion of muslim fundamentalism. Murders, abductions, violent demonstrations, the town as been deserted by foreigners. It is placed under high surveillance by the Pakistanese authorities.
Here, Ossama Bin Laden has many supporters.
We need special permission to film.
10 35 33 NARRATION
Our first stop in Peshawar: Hamid Guhl’s office. This former chief of the Pakistanese secret service is a prominent figure in Pakistan.
He is strongly suspected of having helped finance Al Qaïda. We asked him if he believed Ben Laden weas still alive and if the Americans would eventually capture him.
10 36 00 Peshawar : Hamid Guhl ITW
It is very difficult to say they will never find him, unless one can say he is dead, and then no one will never finf him. But every now and then, the Americans have shown evidence that he is still alive, and said he was planning other operations. I don’t know.
But I think that Al Qaeda is now open, it doesn’t belong to anyone, it’s not taking instructions from one central authority. It is a global franchise, for whoever wants to fight against America, imperialism and capitalism.
10 36 48 Peshawar - NARRATION
In Pakistan, Peshawar symbolizes the fight against the United States and its allies.
This town shelters Taliban leaders who have fled Afghanistan since the arrival of the international coalition in 2001.
But they are regaining strength: it was in Pakistan that we fixed our report on the Taliban going back to Afghanistan.
At the same time an ally of the Americans and a heaven for the fundamentalists, why is Pakistan playing for both sides?
10 37 14 NARRATION
We have a meeting at the BBC, the British radio and TV network, in Peshawar: Ashraf Ali is a renowned specialist of the Taliban movement.
10 37 24 Peshawar : ITV BBC Ashraf Ali
Basically, you see it’s a sort of double game. On the one hand, they are supporting the Taliban, and on the other hand, they are an ally in the war on terror.
Basically, general Pervez Musharraf is under pressure from various fronts. America is pressurising him on the war on terror; Afghanistan has also been raising alegations that Pakistan is not doing more; and we have another front with India.
The other thig is that the religious circles are pressurising general Musharraf on these things.
The people in the conservative areas are in very good terms with the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and to some, Ossama Bin Laden is still the hero of Islam.
10 38 30 Mosquée – Mosque - NARRATION
Pakistan’s Islamists feel stronger every day.
In a poor district of Peshawar is Mohabat mosque. It shelters a fundamentalist movement: the ‘Charia Unified Front’ and, of course, its own madrasa: a coranic school where dozens of youngsters are trained each year.
Cette mosquée est dirigée par le Mollah Kureshi. Proche de Mollah Omar, c’est l’un des principaux leaders fondamentalistes au Pakistan.
This mosque is run by Mollah Qureshi.
Close to Mollah Omar, he is one of the fundamentalist leaders in Pakistan.
Upon our arrival, his son discretely comes to greet us… because we are not officially allowed to film here.
The Pakistanese secret service is keeping a watchful eye on the Mosque and on Mollah Mohamad Youssef Qureshi.
Here, however, Islamist leaders such as Qureshi are virtually untouchable, because they are so popular, and also because they’re serving the interests of the regime, acting as middlemen to negotiate with the Taliban.
10 39 31 Peshawar : ITV Mollah Kureshi
The brutal and unjust ways of the coalition have only made Oussma Ben Laden more popular, to the point that he can now count on the support he gets from local populations.
Afghan and Pakistanese communities join together in prayer to support him.
Actually, the more America hurts Oussama, the more he gains popularity within the local population.
But it is true that the Pakistanese government’s position is not very clear. They are dealing with both Taliban and Americans.
10 40 24 NARRATION
In the streets of Pakistan, fundamentalist speeches like Qoreshi’s are spreading. More and more often, the Taliban are organizing anti-Western demonstrations to gain favor and put pressure on the Pakistanese government of President Musharaf.
10 40 41 NARRATION
The growing pressure is expressed by outspoken members of Paliament including Shabir Ahmad Khan.
Close to the Islamist organization of the Muslim brothers, he is someone president Musharaf talks to.
10 40 52 Shabir Ahmad Khan, parlementaire et président de la fondation Al Khidmat / MP and president of the Al Khidmat foundation
The big western and european armies came to Afghanistan and Pakistan, they used our airports and Pakistan’s logistic support, with Bush and Tony Blair without any permission of the Pakistanse nation.
But they are not looking for Ossama and his friends.
Pakistan is a very important geopolitical location in this region, it is a base for a future scenario with Iran and his president. And compared to Iran, China is a very challenging country for the future, a close future.
Therefore, America wants to stay here.
10 41 46 Rues – Streets shots - NARRATION
After several months, our investigation has to end… Pakistan’s secret service is putting pressure on us.
Our inquiry has raised disturbing questions. The case of Bin Laden is an embarassement to the authorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States.
The Americans, already weakened in Irak, must provide some firm answers if they are to stop their situation in Afghanistan from deteriorating still further.
Ending credits
IN 10 42 20
OUT 10 42 53
Kabul : a bomb just exploded near the American embassy killing 16 people. This attack on September 8th, 2006, it is the most violent in five years in the Afghan capital. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack that bears Al Qaeda’s signature: a suicide car-bombing.
10 01 45 NARRATION
The capture of Ossama Bin Laden and destruction of the Taliban regime is the armed coalition’s mission in Afghanistan: the greatest internantional mobilization since World War 2.
10 01 59 Déclaration G.W. Bush - Octobre 2001
(Georges W. Bush – Octobre 2001).
The United States military has begun strikes against al Qaïda training camps and military installations of the taliban regime.
10 01 10 NARRATION
Side by side with the American GI’s, over 10 000 elite soldiers of the coalition forces search for Al Qaeda’s commander, night and day, but after five years, Ossama Bin Laden still eludes them.
He is the leader of the most notorious terrorist group of all times. A group that brought America to its knees on September 11th, 2001.
And the man is still at large. Somewhere in the mountains, between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
10 01 42 NARRATION
Before 2001, Bin Laden had all the time he needed to prepare his war in Afghanistan : thousands of fighters came in and out of his training camps. Because, as early as 1996, he was put under the protection of the Taliban régime.
10 02 00 NARRATION
Five years after the peace-keeping forces arrived, Al Qaeda’s fighters are still here, assisted by Taliban rebels.
We filmed these exclusive scenes in the province of Ghazni, less than two hours away from Kabul. We are among the few journalists to be allowed to interview a group of Taliban fighters since 2001.
10 02 24 ITW Talibans
Taliban 1
We are fighting the Americans because they took away our independence and they’re occupying our country. We are also fighting the government because it’s supporting the occupying forces.
10 02 39 Taliban 2
We don’t have to deal directly with Ossama Bin Laden. We get our orders from Mollah Omar by letter, by tape or other means.
10 03 00 NARRATION
This camp has a few dozen trained fighters : they eat, sleep and live with their weapons. They are the Taliban, but also young fundamentalists recruited in the South Afghan tribes. Pakistanese and Arab Islamists come here, on a regular basis, to train them.
10 03 21 NARRATION
Camps like these develop very quickly in Afghanistan. In all, the Taliban have about 15 to 20 thousand fighters at their disposal.
Their objective: to take back control of the country.
Their method: terrorism, surprise-attacks against the West lead by small stand-alone groups.
Their weaponry: antitank rockets, kalashnikovs, automatic guns.
They move very fast, on bikes.
10 03 39 NARRATION
On this particular day, the Taliban are getting ready to attack a police station. They offer to let us come along, but we refuse. We do not want to be involved in a terrorist outrage.
Attacks are multiplying in Afghanistan. The country has become one of the most dangerous places in the world.
10 04 11 NARRATION
In this context of extreme violence, we have been trying to understand why Ossama Bin Laden, the most wanted man on the surface of the earth is still at large.
10 04 34 NARRATION
We are driving back to Kabul. We want to see the Americans.
A few days after our arrival, Luke Knitting, NATO spokesman is giving is weekly press conference in front of about 30 journalists of the International press.
For more than 20 minutes, Major Knitting goes on about field successes of the Western armies against Taliban rebels.
10 05 00 Major Luke Knitting, porte-parole OTAN - NATO spokesman long speech.
10 05 27 NARRATION
NATO deployed 30 000 men to secure Afghanistan but each day the country moves closer to anarchy.
When we ask the Major about Bin Laden, his attitude quickly changes.
10 05 39 Question Emmanuel / Emmanuel’s Question
Is Ossama Bin Laden’s capture still a priority for the coalition ?
10 05 45 Major Luke Knitting
I primarly wear this ISAF badge to try to get accross this kind of question. I am not a coalition soldier even if obviously I come from the American army. I’ll let the Coalition speek for themselves. Their mission here continues. They can answer that question probably better than I.
10 06 02 Question Emmanuel / Emmanuel’s Question
Are there still links between Taliban fighters in the South and Al-Qaeda ?
10 06 11 Major Luke Knitting
We are just not that interested in labels.
10 06 17 NARRATION
End of the press conference, we won’t get any answers to our questions.
10 06 20 NARRATION
You can only wonder if the foreign troops in Afganistan really want to arrest the most dangerous terrorist in the world.
10 06 30 NARRATION
Late afternoon in the Kabul’s great bazar. In spite of the growing number of terrorist attacks, the crowd are out shopping.
Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, the city has changed its appearance: we see more and more women in the streets. The markets once again have goods fore sale. Billions of dollars have been invested by the international community to rebuild the country.
Misery however, can be found everywhere.
Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Over 40% of the population are unemployed. Those who work have to survive on 40 dollars a month, when in facts, it takes 200 to support a family.
In this context of misery and violence, many Afgans wonder why the Americans still haven’t arrested those responsible for the situation. To them, Bin Laden and his troops are getting help from Pakistan’s secret service.
10 07 24 ITW Homme du marché / A merchant in the local market
It’s obvious that Pakistan is protecting Ben Laden as it has always done. That is why he is over there now. He does not have any other place to go anyway. Pakistaneses have protected him since the beginning and they allow him to go all the way to Afghanistan.
10 07 44 NARRATION
Pakistan, officially an ally of the Americans, is accused of playing both sides : they’re secretly helping the Islamists, Amercia’s ennemies.
Furthermore, it was our Pakistanese contacts who made it possible for us to meet and film the Taliban near Kabul.
Pakistan protector of Bin Laden’s troops: the idea is largely held by certain Afghan officials. We have a meeting with one of Ahmid Karzaï’s close advisors: he agrees to meet us on condition that we don’t show his face.
10 08 19 NARRATION
For 4 years, this man attended meetings with the Americans dedicated to the capture of Ossama Bin Landen. And he goes even further: according to him, the Bush administation itself doesn’t want to capture the leader of Al Qaeda.
10 08 31 ITW Conseiller Karzaï - Interview of Karzaï’s advisor
There are friendly relationship that goes back a long way. You know, the U.S. are the ones who supported him and made him very famous.
10 08 51 Question Emmanuel - Emmanuel’s Question
Does the American secret service have relations with people who are close to Ben Laden?
10 09 00 Conseiller Karzai - Karzai former cabinet member
When American helicopters give weapons to the Afghan forces, these same helicopters are giving the same things to the Taliban. That shows that there are very secret ties between the Taliban fighters and the Americans one way or another.
10 09 31 Question Emmanuel - Emmanuel’s Question
Are the Taliban fighters still linked to Al Qaeda?
10 09 36 Conseiller Karzai - Karzai former cabinet member
Yes, of course. There is a very strong coordination between the Taliban, Al Qaïda and Pakistanese secret services, of course.
10 09 53 NARRATION
An unbelievable statement that would explain the growing anger of the Afghans who are turning against the West. To see for ourselves, we decided to meet the French troops who have taken command of the Kabul region. 1,200 soldiers, based in a strongly protected camp. They run the risk of being attacked by the Taliban at any moment.
10 10 17 NARRATION
Just outside the town, about ten French military personnel are assisting the Afghan police in its mission of securing the area.
10 10 30 ITW Soldat français - French soldier
In our area, we have good contact with the population and the authorities : police, Afghan national army. Which does not prevent bomb attacks from time to time, especially in the cities.
We are used to patrolling on foot in the cities, which many other nations don’t do. The French were the first ones to do it, and we are one of the rare nations to still do it on the Afghan territory.
10 10 56 NARRATION
The official word from the French army remains diplomatic, but in Kabul, not everybody is as reserved. In these troubled times, people are starting to talk. We have a meeting with the director of the World Bank, Jean Mazurel.
He had once been one of the top diplomats in the Afghan governement in managing Western aid in Afghanistan.
A few days before retiring, this high official no longer has any illusions as to the real reasons for the American military presence in Afganistan.
10 11 30 ITW Jean Mazurel – WORLD BANK
The reason why the American forces are here is more because Afghanistan has become a sort of geopolitical aircraft carrier stuck between fragile and vulnerable Pakistan and Iran, representing the threat we all know
and maintaining their army located 10 minutes from Islamabad and Teheran is more important than fighting the Taliban.
I was invited to the American Embassy. I was with the deputy ambassador. The Afghanistan Minister of Foreign Affairs complained that the American government did not put enough pressure on the Pakistanese government to secure the border which is extremely porous, thus allowing the Taliban to shuttle back and forth between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The American official responded: Pakistan and its president are vulnerable and we will do nothing to increase Pakistan’s vulnerability. I understood that when it came to choosing between Pakistan’s or Afghanistan’s stability, Americans would not hesitate, not for a second… But everybody suspected as much, given the threat Pakistan would represent if it became an Islamic country.
10 12 46 NARRATION
If the Americans don’t want stability in Afghanistan, why send elite soldiers to capture Al Qaeda’s leader ?
Officially, the French Special Forces have this mission. Their headquarters is in Jalalabad.
That’s where we must go to continue our report.
We want to understand how Bin Laden made it out of Tora Bora and most of all, how he was able to escape the coalition troops.
Aziz, our guide, is going to drive us there. For our security, he asks us to dress like Afghans. We need to be as inconspicuous as possible: outside Kabul, danger lurks everywhere.
10 13 27 CARTE – MAP : Kabul to Jalalabad - NARRATION
The road to Jalalabad is one of the only Afghan roads that lead to Pakistan… Halfway between the Pakistanese border and Tora Bora where Bin Laden was last officially seen at the end of 2001, before the American bombings.
10 13 47 NARRATION
This road is a major highway for Afghanistan.
10 14 05 NARRATION
Few cars, but many trucks loaded with merchandise.
Almost everything that is sold in the Afgan market places comes froms Pakistan.
10 14 15 NARRATION
This road is used for trafficking of every kind.
10 14 30 NARRATION
We are going to be stopped more than 10 times at the Afghan police check-points during our 125-mile-long trip.
The police are more alert now since the Taliban have been gaining ground.
At each check-point, we have to talk, sometimes pay and be as discrete as possible. Here, everyone is armed and the tension is palpable.
10 15 16 NARRATION
Jalalabad, this Pashtun city has long been a gathering place for Jihad fighters from all over.
They have left their trace on this place once known for its hospitality ans which now seems cut off from the rest of the world.
10 15 45
A city under high surveillance where our camera is not welcome.
10 15 50
Stop! Never shoot in this area, OK? You got it?
10 15 55 NARRATION
We are on our way to the airport. Behind these walls and this barbwire: the camp of the French special forces under American command.
The Afghan army is guarding the entire area. Here, there are no two-ways about it, it is strictly forbidden to film. We try to make it back to the French camp.
10 16 10 Emmanuel
What does he say ?
Guide/Fixer
He says that we are filming the airport which is completely banned I stop them and will not let them go!
10 16 40 Emmanuel
OK. Eric swap the tape, swap your tape, they want to take the tape.
10 16 48 NARRATION
It is impossible for us to meet the French soldiers. They seem to have been informed of our report. But the subject is sensitive. The name of Ossama Bin Laden has become taboo for the military authorities.
10 17 07 NARRATION
Since 2003, these 200 French elite soldiers whom we are trying to meet have been lent by France to the Americans. They go regularly to the front to fight the Taliban. 9 of them have been killed over the past few months: it’s a heavy toll.
10 17 23 NARRATION
We are driving away from the airport to contact the french Joint Chief of Staff in Paris, we are trying to learn more about what is happening and mostly we are trying to get permission to film.
10 17 34 ITV Téléphone Colonel Etat Major Français - Colonel of the French Etat Major
We have already suffered casualties, 9 dead out of 200, which is high, very high. We mustn’t do anything that would jeopardize their situation.
I am really sorry. Under other circumstances, may be not so far from the action, we may be able to introduce you to people who could talk about their job, but for the time being it just can’t be done.
10 18 05 Emmanuel
OK, as journalists, We consider them to be French representatives on Afghan territory. I Think you can understand.
10 18 20 Colonel Etat Major Français - Colonel of the French Etat Major
Talking about them would be endangering their lives. Goodbye.
10 18 33 NARRATION
Once again, filming is strictly forbidden.
Why do the French special forces refuse to talk to us? What are they doing in Jalalabad? Are they looking for Bin Laden? Do they know where he is hidding?
10 18 46 NARRATION
A few months ago, we were given special permission to film French soldiers from the COS : special operations command. Exclusive images as they were leaving on their mission side by side with the Afghan army.
These elite troops must never show their face.
Finally, we were able to obtain a secret meeting with a French soldier. We have to hide his iddentity but he informs us that twice, the French special forces had Bin Laden in their gun sights.
10 19 13 Soldat français voix masquée - French special forces
It’s true, I can testify that in 2003 and 2004, we did indeed make visual contact and then had him in our gun sights. The sniper said: “I have a lock on Bin Laden”.
We were at the heart of action; it was night time. Gunfire all around us…we were trying to stay out of sight…we were tranched…Don’t forget the context. By the time the Americans were informed, there was no snapshot. Or the report was correct, and then it’s a problem of decision, and decision was made in Baghram.
The truth is at that moment, there was a hesitation in the chain of command.
10 19 48 NARRATION
This account has been dubbed to prevent us from identifying the soldier’s voice. On two occasions the French sharp shooters were waiting in position, yet no order arrived from Baghram, the American headquarters which supervised the mission of the French soldiers in the COS...and Bin Laden got away.
10 20 15 NARRATION
To find out more, we go to see Abdullah, on of our old acquaintances.
He is one of the prominent figures in the city of Jalalabad. Someone close to the war lords aiding the Americans in their search for Bin Laden in 2001. Nothing happens in this region without his knowing about it.
10 20 36 NARRATION
Abdullah takes us to the ruins of Bin laden’s house in Jalalabad. An impressive dwelling of over 500 square meters: the leader of Al Qaeda had brought his wife here as well as his guardmen from Yemen.
Abdullah will reveal some surprising information on the reasons why Bin Laden came here and on the way he escaped when the coalition forces where about to arrest him.
10 21 07 ITV Abdullah dans la maison de Ben Laden - Abdullah in Ben Laden’s house.
I think Jalalabad for a couple of reasons. One because of the closeness of Tora Bora here, I guess they thought it was a good place for trainnig for them. And also taking advantage of the Pashtoun hospitality, where anyone can takes safety. You have to protect him.
10 21 32 NARRATION
Ossama Bin Laden had chosen Jalalabad for its proximity to the mountains of Tora Bora, which run along the Pakistanese border. A perfect location which enabled him to receive logistical aid from Pakistan, and to get away easily in the event of an American attack.
10 21 56 ITW Abdullah 2
There were only 50 American forces here. But I guess most of them were with general Azrat Ali at that time, and some, British and American, were with Hadji Zaman. The third commander was Hadji Zaer, he didn’t have any American with him.
I think the whole thing was that the planning was not properly done. The mountin passes, the caravan roads, were not properly secured. Anyone that has taken part in a war or in a fighting knows before you attack a place you surround the place. They were not going to wait for the B52 bombers.
And also, there were negociations with the Taliban at that time to surrender. That gave them a lot of time to escape.
10 22 56 Emmanuel
Why after five years, the coaltion didn’t capture Ossama Bin Laden?
10 23 03 ITW Abdullah 3
Every Afghan have this question in their mind : why aren’t Ossama and mollah Omar captured ? Is there some kind of a game going on here in this region ?
Maybe the world is not interested in capturing him, but the Afghans are very insecured. Why isn’t it happening?
10 23 30 NARRATION
Was the American army a victim of a lack of coordination ? Or did it deliberately begin negociations with the Taliban, giving Ossama Bin Laden enough time to escape?
In order to get the answer, we go to Tora Bora, a few hours away from Jalalabad. But the Taliban are monitoring the road. Remote-controlled bomb attacks are frequent. We will have to be extremely careful. Abdullah will look out for our safety.
10 23 58 ITW Abdullah 4
Cover your face, and don’t film to much on the road to Tora Bora, or you might get a bomb on your way back.
10 24 13 NARRATION
We are obligated to take an escort.
There are mines along the road. The day before, the Taliban assassinated two commanding officers of the Afghan police. A short stop at an unlikely Afghan police hide-out and we are back on our way accompanied by armed men.
10 24 29 CARTE – MAP : Jalalabad to Tora-Bora - NARRATION
Tora Bora is on a moutain road, close to the Pakistanese border. This is where Bin Laden escaped the caolition forces in 2001.
10 24 40 NARRATION
It is here in the mountains of Tora Bora that we have a meeting with the Rugiani tribe.
A few hundred men, women and children live here under the the authority of their chief: Haji Abdullah.
10 24 57 NARRATION
This warlord is highly respected. He is part of the mujahedeen commanders who offered their help to the Americans to arrest Bin Laden at the end of 2001. An offer that, he says, was refused.
Like a growing number of Afghans, Haji Abdullah believes that Al Qaeda’s leader was able to take advantage of the Americans’ complacency in order to escape.
10 25 18 Itw Haji Abdullah
Definitely yes. I know that some of the leaders you are talking about can move through tribal regions, especially along the border, because they convince the villagers to help them through religion, Islam. It is very easy for them to travel in that zone without any problem.
10 25 33 Emmanuel
Why don’t the Americans catch them?
10 25 44 Hadji
We know very well that Americans are not interested in capturing him.
Emmanuel
Why not?
Hadji
That’s exactly the question, you’d better ask them directly.
10 26 02 Emmanuel
Can you tell us how Ossama escaped from this area in 2001?
Hadji
I don’t believe he escaped. Someone let him go. The Americans have the means to control and see everything from air space. So how could they miss the 70 people who were with him? Apparently, they let him go.
10 26 21 Emmanuel
Why do you think they did that?
10 26 26 Hadji
Better fish in troubled waters, as we say in Pashtoun.
10 26 33 Emmanuel
You mean that the coalition let the place very clear to help him escape?
10 26 40 Hadji
Yes, absolutely !
I suggested that the Americans give me the responsibility and the necessary means to have the job done. If they had done that I’m 99% sure I would have caught OBL. Why? Because I’m from this region and I know it better than anyone. But they wouldn’t accept my help so he was able to escape.
10 27 03 Manu
The Special forces are based here now. Do you think they’re here because of Oussama?
Hadji
Yes, absolutely. They are here for something. They’re not crazy.
10 27 19 NARRATION
From Kabul to Jalalabad, accusations against the Americans are growing. It could be, however, just coordination problems or a lack of knowledge of the region.
10 27 33 NARRATION
One man may very well have the answer. His name: Haji Zaher. This war lord has become a general of the Afghan police. He is one of the three Afghan commanders who helped the Americans during the Tora Bora attack.
He is very close to the Americans and has already received death-threats from Al Qaeda.
He is going to surprise us: for the first time, it talks about what happened during the Tora Bora attack and his story sounds unbelievable.
10 28 12 Jalalabad - ITV Général Hadji Zaher
There is one thing I have to tell you: there is rumour, and there are true things. Myself, I’m not following rumours, I’m trying to follow the truth and get correct informations.
10 28 31 NARRATION
When the Tora Bora fighting started, there was three Afghan commanders. One was me.
We decided to attack, but Hadji Zaman came and said : “no, today we don’t need to attack, because they sent a message to me saying that tomorrow, at 8 in the morning, they’re going to surrender. And the mission stopped, just because Hadji Zaman said he was in contact with them ans they were going to put their guns down.
But in the morning, at 8, we didn’t hear anything from them. The B52 came, and drew an 8 in the sky, which meant time was over. After that the figting restarted, but we didn’t caught anyone of them.
Why the the plan was weak? I don’t know myself, but as a professionnal soldier, I have to accept the facts.
10 30 01 NARRATION
Why did the Americans let Ossama Bin Laden escape ?
At this stage of our investigation, the idea of Pakistanese pressure still seems to be the most likely possibility.
To reach our final destination, we must cross the border and enter Pakistan.
10 30 18 NARRATION
For this dangerous trip across the mountains, we will once more need an escort. The Taliban are still here, hidden in the shadows, ready to attack any convoy.
Once again the Afghani police will be our body guards…
Their chief helps us because he thinks our presence will allow him to get his message across. His mission is to secure an Al Qaïda and Taliban-infested region but he does not have enough manpower at hand. He needs to let people know that he needs more means.
10 30 58 Travelling route – Road shots
We are going to be driving for a long time.
Moreover, we wonder if the Americans ended up giving in to Pakistan’s pressure.
Just as many of the people we interviewed have explained: the Americans do not want to run the risk of Islamists turning Pakistan into a blood bath if Ben Laden is captured, for he is a true icon for a lot of Pakistaneses.
10 31 21 CARTE – MAP : Tora-Bora to Daqa
After driving for a day, we arrive at Daqa, along the Pakistanese border.
10 31 30 Fortin - The fort - NARRATION
In this small fort, we meet Nazim Jabar Kheil, its commander.
He is the leader of a phantom brigade, somewhere in the middle of the mountains. Their mission: to stop Taliban and Al Qaïda’s fighters crossing the border.
A few dozen meters from here: Pakistan.
This garrison is of utmost importance to the coalition. But commander Nazim is disgusted with the insufficient means at his disposal.
He is also very critical of Pakistan’s secret service that may be protecting the leader of Al Qaïda.
10 32 18 ITW Commandant Nazim Jabar Kheil
We have a 1550 mile-long common border with Pakistan. I have myself been an officer here for the past 4 and half years.
And I can assure you that most of our problems come from this region.
Oussama is not in the Afghan tribes. It is obvious he’s hiding over there, on the Pakistanese side.
10 33 40 ITW Commandant Nazim Jabar Kheil
You need to call a spade a spade: if we go back 15 years, we have proof that Pakistanese secret services helped Al Qaeda people in the war in Afghanistan, here as well as in Mazar E Sharif or Chamali. Today, Pakistan has not changed its politics and no one in Afghanistan has any doubt about it.
10 33 12 Routes & Paysages – Road and mountains shots - Narration
Everywhere, Afghan police and military are getting increasingly bitter.
They now feel they’ve been given a raw deal.
Millions of Dollars have been invested in Afghanistan to find Bin Laden and his troops. Afghans, however, are exasperated by their lack of means, and accuse their American allies of giving in to Pakistan…
10 33 24 CARTE – MAP : Daqa to Peshawar - NARRATION
So we must go to Peshawar to find some kind of explanation and understand why everyone has been pointing their finger at Pakistan since the beginning of our report.
10 33 43 NARRATION
On the road, we drive through the well-known tribal zones: in the midst of the border region, it is the main area for all sorts of trafficking. We are very close to the place where Bin Laden was last seen just a few months ago.
10 33 59 Poste frontière – Border - NARRATION
We are driving through the border checkpoint in Thoram. There, we find ourselves in the most difficult moment of our report: our encounter with the Afghan army.
10 34 10 NARRATION
We are filming the border zone when about ten armed men stop us. Video cameras are strictly forbidden here. We barely have time to hide our tapes before they deliver us to the American army.
After two hours, we are allowed to cross the border.
On the other side, the Pakistanese army ready to escort us, weapons in hand. No way can we take our camera out.
10 34 44 NARRATION
Peshawar. Capital of the North West frontier province. It’s close to Waziristan, where Bin laden is thought to be hiding.
10 34 55 NARRATION
With nearly 800 000 inhabitants, Peshawar is seen as a bastion of muslim fundamentalism. Murders, abductions, violent demonstrations, the town as been deserted by foreigners. It is placed under high surveillance by the Pakistanese authorities.
Here, Ossama Bin Laden has many supporters.
We need special permission to film.
10 35 33 NARRATION
Our first stop in Peshawar: Hamid Guhl’s office. This former chief of the Pakistanese secret service is a prominent figure in Pakistan.
He is strongly suspected of having helped finance Al Qaïda. We asked him if he believed Ben Laden weas still alive and if the Americans would eventually capture him.
10 36 00 Peshawar : Hamid Guhl ITW
It is very difficult to say they will never find him, unless one can say he is dead, and then no one will never finf him. But every now and then, the Americans have shown evidence that he is still alive, and said he was planning other operations. I don’t know.
But I think that Al Qaeda is now open, it doesn’t belong to anyone, it’s not taking instructions from one central authority. It is a global franchise, for whoever wants to fight against America, imperialism and capitalism.
10 36 48 Peshawar - NARRATION
In Pakistan, Peshawar symbolizes the fight against the United States and its allies.
This town shelters Taliban leaders who have fled Afghanistan since the arrival of the international coalition in 2001.
But they are regaining strength: it was in Pakistan that we fixed our report on the Taliban going back to Afghanistan.
At the same time an ally of the Americans and a heaven for the fundamentalists, why is Pakistan playing for both sides?
10 37 14 NARRATION
We have a meeting at the BBC, the British radio and TV network, in Peshawar: Ashraf Ali is a renowned specialist of the Taliban movement.
10 37 24 Peshawar : ITV BBC Ashraf Ali
Basically, you see it’s a sort of double game. On the one hand, they are supporting the Taliban, and on the other hand, they are an ally in the war on terror.
Basically, general Pervez Musharraf is under pressure from various fronts. America is pressurising him on the war on terror; Afghanistan has also been raising alegations that Pakistan is not doing more; and we have another front with India.
The other thig is that the religious circles are pressurising general Musharraf on these things.
The people in the conservative areas are in very good terms with the Taliban and Al Qaeda, and to some, Ossama Bin Laden is still the hero of Islam.
10 38 30 Mosquée – Mosque - NARRATION
Pakistan’s Islamists feel stronger every day.
In a poor district of Peshawar is Mohabat mosque. It shelters a fundamentalist movement: the ‘Charia Unified Front’ and, of course, its own madrasa: a coranic school where dozens of youngsters are trained each year.
Cette mosquée est dirigée par le Mollah Kureshi. Proche de Mollah Omar, c’est l’un des principaux leaders fondamentalistes au Pakistan.
This mosque is run by Mollah Qureshi.
Close to Mollah Omar, he is one of the fundamentalist leaders in Pakistan.
Upon our arrival, his son discretely comes to greet us… because we are not officially allowed to film here.
The Pakistanese secret service is keeping a watchful eye on the Mosque and on Mollah Mohamad Youssef Qureshi.
Here, however, Islamist leaders such as Qureshi are virtually untouchable, because they are so popular, and also because they’re serving the interests of the regime, acting as middlemen to negotiate with the Taliban.
10 39 31 Peshawar : ITV Mollah Kureshi
The brutal and unjust ways of the coalition have only made Oussma Ben Laden more popular, to the point that he can now count on the support he gets from local populations.
Afghan and Pakistanese communities join together in prayer to support him.
Actually, the more America hurts Oussama, the more he gains popularity within the local population.
But it is true that the Pakistanese government’s position is not very clear. They are dealing with both Taliban and Americans.
10 40 24 NARRATION
In the streets of Pakistan, fundamentalist speeches like Qoreshi’s are spreading. More and more often, the Taliban are organizing anti-Western demonstrations to gain favor and put pressure on the Pakistanese government of President Musharaf.
10 40 41 NARRATION
The growing pressure is expressed by outspoken members of Paliament including Shabir Ahmad Khan.
Close to the Islamist organization of the Muslim brothers, he is someone president Musharaf talks to.
10 40 52 Shabir Ahmad Khan, parlementaire et président de la fondation Al Khidmat / MP and president of the Al Khidmat foundation
The big western and european armies came to Afghanistan and Pakistan, they used our airports and Pakistan’s logistic support, with Bush and Tony Blair without any permission of the Pakistanse nation.
But they are not looking for Ossama and his friends.
Pakistan is a very important geopolitical location in this region, it is a base for a future scenario with Iran and his president. And compared to Iran, China is a very challenging country for the future, a close future.
Therefore, America wants to stay here.
10 41 46 Rues – Streets shots - NARRATION
After several months, our investigation has to end… Pakistan’s secret service is putting pressure on us.
Our inquiry has raised disturbing questions. The case of Bin Laden is an embarassement to the authorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the United States.
The Americans, already weakened in Irak, must provide some firm answers if they are to stop their situation in Afghanistan from deteriorating still further.
Ending credits
IN 10 42 20
OUT 10 42 53