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U.S. Best Guess: bin Laden and Omar Still in Afghanistan

Aired January 17, 2002 - 06:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK, let's ask this question again: Where in the world is Osama bin Laden? That is the $25 million question. Authorities are also hunting for Taliban Supreme Leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.

CNN Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre reports on where the United States thinks both men are.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite conflicting intelligence reports about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, including some assessments that he has slipped into another country, the best U.S. guess is that he, and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, are both still in Afghanistan.

RUMSFELD: We don't know precisely where he is. We have a good sense in the country. We still believe they are in the country. We are still working on that basis, although we are looking in some other places as well from time to time.

MCINTYRE: What intelligence experts do agree on is that both bin Laden and Omar are likely still alive. One Congressman, Arizona Republican Jim Kolbe, who is traveling in the region, says he's been briefed that U.S. intelligence reports put Omar "west and northwest of Kandahar with some of his loyal followers of the Taliban."

Meanwhile the Pentagon continues to collect evidence that bin Laden's al Qaeda network were desperate to acquire chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

RUMSFELD: We have found a number of things that show an appetite for weapons of mass destruction: Diagrams, materials, reports that things were asked for, things were discussed at meetings, that type of thing.

MCINTYRE (on camera): So far, 45 of 54 suspected weapons of mass destruction sites have been searched and no weapons or materials have been found. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld did refer to a pair of canisters unearthed by a British de-mining team, but despite the Russian writing and skull and ones on the outside of the containers, U.S. officials suspect they are fakes. Tests will determine that for sure.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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