There’s an automated machine that terrorists everywhere may have to start fearing — and it’s not a new type of drone.
It’s actually something your mom might be using right now — the fearsome elliptical.
One Taliban leader met his end on the machine designed to shed pounds and strengthen cardio — causing his obvious omission from the list of leaders the radical Islamic group wanted back from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for captured Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.
According to a Foreign Policy report, Awal Gul suffered a heart attack in 2011 while training on an elliptical. He had been interned at Gitmo since 2002 before he embarked on his fateful workout on the dreaded elliptical of death. He was 48 years old at the time of his passing.
His lawyers during his imprisonment at Gitmo had strenuously denied that he was a major Taliban figure and claimed he had resigned from the extremist group before the terrorist attack of 9/11. The inclusion of his name on the list of prominent figures wanted back in exchange for possible deserter Bergdahl puts a critical light on the denials and claims of his lawyers.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel confirmed in his Wednesday testimony before Congress that the Taliban originally wanted six leaders back in the Bergdahl trade, but that “one of them died.” The White House revealed the identity of the sixth requested Taliban leader on Friday in a statement to Foreign Policy.
The military claimed — which is likely confirmed by the Taliban wanting him back — that Gul was a top recruiter for the group, commanded one of the Taliban’s primary military bases, and directly assisted Osama bin Lade in his operations in the region.
Gul isn’t the only one to die in American custody at Gitmo — seven other inmates have perished while imprisoned at the military installation located in Cuba.
No word if the Taliban will issue a fatwa against all ellipticals in response to Gul’s death.