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American Morning

Hunt for Bin Laden Could Become Casualty of Rising Tensions Between Pakistan and India

Aired May 28, 2002 - 07:01   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: Up front this morning, the hunt for Bin Laden could become a casualty of the rising tensions between Pakistan and India. As we mentioned, Pakistan fired off more missile tests today, following a stern warning from President Musharraf that if attacked, he would respond with full might. With Pakistan now focusing on India, the effort to help track down al Qaeda and Taliban leaders appears to be on hold.

Joining us now from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan is Mike Boettcher.

Good morning, Mike.

MIKE BOETTCHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Paula. This is a place where one action affects another action and can create a chain reaction.

As you said, Pakistan is moving troops to Kashmir, to that region, and that leaves -- and let's take a look at the map, the graphic of the border with Afghanistan and Pakistan. If they do indeed pull troops back to join in that possible conflict on the border there at Kashmir, it does leave open those safe havens that intelligence sources have been telling us about for a long time. Anywhere from 100 to 1,000 Al Qaeda and Taliban believed to be on the other side of the border in the tribal areas in Pakistan.

Now, British authorities say that they have been launching operations, Operation Snipe and Operation Condor, over the past several weeks. They have taken some criticism back home that they did not find any Al Qaeda and Taliban, but a senior British official says today that that is proof that those operations were very successful. That they have continued to push the Taliban and Al Qaeda to the Pakistan border, and they do not want to challenge coalition forces in the region.

Now, one thing coming up could affect this whole equation. That is the loya jirga. That is the big general meeting, general assembly of Afghan leaders in which the new national government will be elected here. There are concerns, according to intelligence sources, that there will be possible disruption by Al Qaeda and Taliban or attempts to disrupt that meeting.

So all of this going on right now is a very difficult puzzle to follow, but every piece has to be in place in order to stop the Taliban and Al Qaeda, according to coalition officials -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right. Mike Boettcher, thanks for that report.

Just a quick rejoinder here. There was talk that the coalition forces would cross that border into Pakistan. Pakistan now saying it wants to take care of that operation itself. It remains to be seen what the impact of this heightened tension with India will have on the situation.

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