Osama's family builds $150m base for US Army

By Nayyar Zaidi

The News: Jang

WASHINGTON: A construction company owned by Osama-bin-Laden's family, the alleged mastermind behind the deaths of Americans in Kenya and Tanzania, completed construction of a 4,200 bed military barrack for the US Army in Saudi Arabia, The Washington Times reported.

But were we not told that Osama-bin-Laden was "exiled" from Saudi Arabia? "Well, the US government is required by law to hire minority-owned businesses and terrorists are definitely in a minority," quipped one observer when asked to comment.

The $150 million complex is conisdered safe by the US military but still the US Central Command plans "a security sweep" through the complex. "Let us make sure that the company hired to make the security sweep is not also owned by Osama-bin-Laden", the observer said.

Earlier, a news report had said that a US company had won a $240 million "communications contract" from Taleban government. Well, doing business with the 'Number One Protector' of the 'Number One terrorist' in the world is outlawed for everyone except the US companies.

Another question is that Taleban not being members of the Paris or London clubs and having no arrangement from International Monetary Fund would pay $240 million from where? Exports of drugs? You buy an automobile in cash in USA and it would be reported and investigated if the money came from drugs.

The US Central Command spokesman said that he knew of no ties between Bin Laden and the family "conglomerate". The family is the wealthiest in Saudi Arabia after the Royal House. Its worth is estimated at $5 billion and Bin Laden is 17th among 52 children. The US intelligence agencies had declared that it was impossible to trace Bin Laden's wealth.

 

 


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