From Reuters News, c/o "Raw Story"
Osama bin Laden a serious student: Taiwan judo coach
"TAICHUNG, Taiwan (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden stood out not just because of his height but because of his serious, conservative demeanor, according to a Taiwan man who says the al Qaeda leader, killed by U.S. troops on Monday, was a student in his judo classes in Saudi Arabia.
Jimmy Wu, a top Taiwan judo coach, told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of a tournament in the central city of Taichung that he came across bin Laden when coaching the Saudi Arabian national judo team from 1981 to 1991.
Bin Laden, whom Wu then knew only as "Osama," attended classes at the judo center while still a university student. He was too tall for judo, and Wu said he advised him against the sport, but he was insistent so Wu accepted him."
(snip)
"Wu showed Reuters photographs of himself and a tall, thin, bearded, serious young man with a mop of black hair whom he said was Osama. Osama attended lessons two to three times a week but Wu never saw him again after 1984.
Reuters has no way of verifying that the man in the pictures was bin Laden.
Bin Laden was shot dead by U.S. forces in Pakistan on Monday. He had been on America's most wanted list since his followers carried out the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York in 2001."
More at link above
Photo Credit
(D.R.)--Disclaimer:
Even Reuters could not verify the picture, and I question whether someone could get a Black Belt (as shown in the picture) in just a few years.
UPDATE:
Here's a Reuters Video that may verify the story
4 comments:
Check this out:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/09/us-binladen-taiwan-idUSTRE7483QZ20110509
What is really fascinating is that we are in a position to watch all sorts of urban legends being created.
Now I see why the White House is hesitant to release the death photos.
Very interesting,
I went to multiple sources to try and confirm the story. The final link with the Reuters video shows much more footage.
Hmmm. I think the Taiwan coach is either confused or actually believes it was Bin Laden.
And it might have been...
His other students were the ones who brought the information to his attention according to the coach.
Next possible idea;
Was the instructor being threatened in some way?
"Too tall for judo"? Height is an advantage in this sport. The instructor obviously did not know judo. I could probably beat him up and I am only a lowly green belt.
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