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American Morning

Coalition Scours Afghan Caves for al Qaeda

Aired May 02, 2002 - 09:02   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: In eastern Afghanistan, coalition forces are searching cave to cave this morning. Excuse me. They are on the hunt for al Qaeda fighters, and perhaps might even be on the trail of Osama bin Laden.

Bill Delaney joins us now from Kabul, Afghanistan, with more on this latest military operation.

Good morning, Bill.

BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, to you, Paula.

You know, the fight against terror goes on here against remaining Taliban and al Qaeda fighters. Entering a new phase here just in the past few weeks against an enemy less numerous than before but ever harder to find. Now the effort to find remaining al Qaeda and Taliban fighters is under a U.S.-led umbrella known as Operation Mountain Lion. But the main fighting force now, Paula, is a British force, 1,000 Royal Marines. They went into the mountains of southeastern Afghanistan about four days ago. Their main target, what is believed to be a key al Qaeda base, one of the few remaining here in Afghanistan that hasn't been overrun by coalition forces. Royal Marines working at altitudes as high as 13,000 feet.

Now, in the past four days or so of this operation, we are told by military officials so far as we know there hasn't been a shot fired, an indication of just how elusive this enemy is right now.

Brig. Maj. Roger Lane is the commander of the Royal Marines.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. MAJ. ROGER LANE, COMMANDER, ROYAL MARINES OPERATION: A potent force of around 1,000 strong and equipped with a full range of combat power at my disposal has been deployed by air and by land to first secure and then search a large and challenging area in what is a strategic key location for our enemy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DELANEY: An American official said coalition forces so far have not crossed into Pakistan, although high military officials in the U.S. military now do acknowledge that Pakistan's given them permission for hot pursuit of Al-Qaeda and Taliban into Pakistan. That apparently has not happened so far in this operation against this ever-more elusive enemy, this war here, Paula, beginning to look more and more like a classic mountainous guerrilla war that could go on for some time.

It's hard to kill an enemy that you can't find. Earlier this week, though, I should add the coalition forces did kill four Al-Qaeda in two separate engagements with them also in eastern Afghanistan. But for the most part, not many shots fired in all this -- Paula.

ZAHN: Is there anything new on any of these intelligence reports suggesting that Osama bin Laden might be somewhere in this border area?

DELANEY: Well, Paula there are as many intelligence reports as to where Osama bin Laden might be as you can count on a couple of hands. He said to be in Afghanistan in some reports. He's said convincing statements from mullahs in places like Ladosher (ph), across the border in Pakistan. We'll say that he's clearly there. He's been reported to be in Kashmir. The fact is no less a person than Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has said more than once we simply don't know where he is and I think the best intelligence we have is that. I spoke to an Afghan here, actually just a week or so ago, I said where do you think Osama bin Laden is? And he said where are they searching for him? And I said well mostly in the south. And he said, well, then he's in the north -- Paula.

ZAHN: Boy. Gives us an idea the challenge ahead with Operation Snipe.

Bill Delaney, thanks so much for that report.

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