I found a source.

October 16, 2001 - New York Times

U.S. Sent Guns to bin Laden in 1980s

WASHINGTON (AP) -- More than a decade ago, the U.S. government sent 25 high-powered
sniper rifles to a group of Muslim fighters in Afghanistan that included Osama bin Laden, according to
court testimony and the guns' maker.

The rifles, made by Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Inc. of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and paid for by the
government, were shipped during the collaboration between the United States and Muslims then
fighting to drive the Soviet Union from Afghanistan.

Experts doubt the weapons could still be used, but the transaction further accentuates how Americans
are fighting an enemy that U.S. officials once supported and liberally armed.

In a trial early this year of suspects in the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa, Essam Al-Ridi,
identified as a former pilot for bin Laden, said he shipped the weapons in 1989 to Sheik Abdallah
Azzam, bin Laden's ideological mentor. The weapons had range-finding equipment and night-vision
scopes.

During the late 1980s, the United States supplied arms worth $500 million a year to anti-Soviet
fighters including Afghanistan's current Taliban rulers, bin Laden and others. The supplies included a
range of weapons from small arms to shoulder-fired Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.

Al-Ridi, an American citizen born in Egypt, testified that Azzam liked the rifles because they could be
``carried by individuals so it's made in such a way where you could have a heavy cannon but mobile
by an individual.''

While in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Al-Ridi said he saw bin Laden several times with Azzam.

Ronnie Barrett, president of Barrett Firearms, likened sale of the .50-caliber armor-piercing rifles to
the supply of the Stinger surface-to-air missiles given to anti-Soviet guerrillas in Afghanistan.

``Barrett rifles were picked up by U.S. government trucks, shipped to U.S. government bases and
shipped to those Afghan freedom fighters,'' Barrett said.

The sale was publicized by the Violence Policy Center, gun-control advocates who want for more
restrictions on the sale of high-powered weapons such as the specialized Barrett exports.

``These .50-caliber sniper rifles are ideal tools for terror and assassination,'' VPC analyst Tom Diaz said.

Firearms expert Charles Cutshaw of Jane's Information Group said he was more worried about the
Stingers than long-range sniper rifles.

``It seems to me that there are easier ways for a terrorist to get at a high-value target than this,''
Cutshaw said. ``If they wanted to bring down an aircraft, the best way would be to bring it down with
a Stinger.'' Guerrillas using Stingers were credited with shooting down more than 270 Soviet aircraft.

Cutshaw said the sniper rifles are ``sort of overkill'' for shooting people; more appropriate targets
would be vehicles or fuel tanks. But the Irish Republican Army used the weapon to kill 10 British
soldiers and policemen patrolling the Northern Ireland border in the 1990s.

The rifles could be used only with U.S.-made ammunition, but such ammunition can be obtained in
neighboring Pakistan, Cutshaw said.

The Barrett rifles sold for $5,000 to $6,000 each, and both Barrett and Cutshaw had doubts they
would still work due to dust and a lack of spare parts.

But the rifles could be functional if they have been kept in storage since the purchase, Barrett said.
The Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan months after the rifles were sold.

``If it's not used, it could work,'' Barrett said. ``Age will not bother the gun, just usage.''

---

So Bin laden may have received weapons from the CIA in 1989. But his first attack on US targets was in 1992. He was hardly notorious in 1989.

One of the first non-Afghan volunteers to join the ranks of the mujahideen was Osama bin Laden, a civil engineer and businessman from a wealthy construction family in Saudi Arabia, with close ties to members of the Saudi royal family. Bin Laden recruited 4,000 volunteers from his own country and developed close relations with the most radical mujahideen leaders. He also worked closely with the CIA, raising money from private Saudi citizens. By 1984, he was running the Maktab al-Khidamar, an organization set up by the ISI to funnel "money, arms, and fighters from the outside world in the Afghan war."

Since September 11, CIA officials have been claiming they had no direct link to bin Laden. These denials lack credibility. Earlier this year, the trial of defendants accused of the 1998 U.S. embassy bombing in Kenya disclosed that the CIA shipped high-powered sniper rifles directly to bin Laden's operation in 1989. Even the Tennessee-based manufacturer of the rifles confirmed this. According to the Boston Globe,

I fucking hate cops like this. They make it so hard for the honest ones to make a living without being hated by all.
Of course that guy that the reporter interviewed is an idiot. "Shot her at close range" No shit, it's a fucking taser, not a sniper rifle. As far as the "Misfired" claim goes: Bullshit. The darts are shot out of a detachable cartridge on the front of the gun.
I will say this, however, she must have been drugged up or something, because when I was tazed, as well es everyone around me, your muscles lock up so much that you can't move at all.


Queue GorillaMan's rant on cops and how they should all die.

Tags changed from "sexy,girl,guns,sniper,rifle,girlsandguns" to "ban record - 4 in a row?" by gold star member thesnipe.

like choggie says, piece of string and a couple of rehearsals. you don't need cgi.

i agree it is not cgi, that would be total overkill, like using a darkside sniper rifle to shoot a small piece of metal for no reason.

yah, i would buy an enormously powerful sniper rifle and then shoot at 50m targets!!!! hahahah as IF!!!

imagine these guys in the bar later... "we shot a piece of metal 50m away! yeeehaaaaw!!!!"

Nah, i think the target was far, far away.

In fact, the totally incredible thing about this thread is that people are prepared to assert that these guys bought this rifle and video camera in order to make a fake ricochet off a close target! You are so keen to call fake that you'll believe anything! I refer you to Alex Jones and the 911 "truth" movement... off you go...

If you're interested in sniper rifles you should see the movie Shooter. It's amazing how accurate the rifles can be.

Assault rifles aside how come you can purchase anti-material military grade sniper rifles? Sure buy it but there has to be some sort of goverment check so the next Timothy McVeigh doesn't have access to it.

Unfortunately for him FPS games are my stable repertoire. Specifically Halo and Halo 2. Teh sniper rifle pwnage with twh energy sword would be too much for him to handle. And may cause traumatic childhood experiences costing into the thousands of dollars in terms of psychological treatment.

In regards to the whole Jack Thompson thing, I agree with you about seeking something to blame. It's easier to say that Columbine was caused by violent media then really explore what would push two individuals into a killing spree.

To me I believe it's also indicative of societies constant struggle against anything new and youthful that slowly replaces the indulgences of the past.

The same criticism was leveled at music during the 20th century, from soulful gospel music being too sexy and raunchy with people like Ray Charles. Or that Rock Music is turning all young people into devil worshiping Satanists who for some odd reason would buy perfectly normal records and play them backwards.

I mean look at Dag, he seemed to turn out okay right? and he used to do the whole parking lot scene.

farhad is power-mad ... but only when he has a sniper rifle in his hand (BF2)! muahahahahahhahaha!

seriously, read the TOS, dude! *thumbs up*

Black musta went to the Shatner Institute for his cheese major. My Fav is when Blackjack helps ol' Bruce Willis site in his sniper rifle in The Jackal remake.

Just to be a good sport. Here's an upvote, now back to purchasing that long range sniper rifle so they can all go out Rock and Roll one night... at least... one night... hahah!