Intelligence

Pakistan Forces: Osama Is Not Here

Pakistan Forces: Osama Is Not Here

Pakistani security forces now believe Osama bin Laden is not hiding in a mountainous region bordering Afghanistan. They have scoured the area in the search for the wanted terrorist leader with no success. American authorities have long suspected bin Laden is in the rugged tribal region but there has been no firm evidence of his whereabouts for three years.

Pakistani leaders have gone back and forth on whether they believe the al Qaeda chief is in their territory.

However, the top commander in northwest Pakistan now believes they have searched everywhere.

"Everything is in our view, if Osama bin Laden was there we would know," Lieutenant General Safdar Hussain said.

"He cannot hide there. He is not there."

Pakistan, a key ally of the US in its war on terror, has arrested more than 600 al Qaeda suspects but no senior figure has been caught in the border region.

However, Hussain said the search would go on.

"Our war against foreign terrorists will continue ... until we are successful," he said.

"We will rest after the foreign terrorists are eliminated."

October 20, 2004 at 11:22 PM in Al Qaeda | Permalink | Top of page | Blog Home