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CNN Sunday Morning

Pentagon Says Hunt for bin Laden Becomes Increasingly Focused

Aired November 18, 2001 - 09:09   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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: The world's most wanted man continues to elude terrorists and the terrorist dragnet -- elude authorities is what I intended to say. But the Pentagon insists that the hunt for Osama bin Laden is getting more focused every day.

CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us live from the Pentagon with the very latest on that -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Martin, and it is getting more focused every day, because with the Taliban largely on the defensive in Afghanistan, the more than 300 U.S. Special Forces in the region have less on their plate, and they can really focus in on that hunt.

They're targeting, at this point, the rugged mountainous region in southern Afghanistan, where U.S. forces are scouring that area on foot, on horseback, even on dune buggies. The "Times" of London is reporting that British defense sources say that the allies have narrowed bin Laden's location to a 30-square mile area. The Pentagon this morning will not confirm that, but it does say that the noose is tightening around the terrorist mastermind. Helping the effort, of course, is new intelligence which was gathered recently from an al Qaeda safehouse.

Another report this morning, the "Washington Post" says that the Air Force believes that as many as 10 times over the last six weeks, it had top Taliban and al Qaeda members in its crosshairs, but did not fire because it could not get clearance to fire in time.

Secretary of State Colin Powell this morning, though, downplayed the dispute.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Our intelligence community is working very closely with our military forces and with our diplomatic forces. And I think we have a very sound political, military and intelligence strategy, which is showing significant results at this time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Conflicting reports continue on Osama bin Laden's whereabouts; some that he may have slipped out into Pakistan, others that he is still in the country. The Pentagon believing that he does remain in the country that has harbored him for so long.

If he were to escape, some say Pakistan would be the most likely site, since the Taliban and al Qaeda enjoy considerable support there. Great doubt that he would go into the country of Iran, where Osama bin Laden is not welcome. Also highly unlikely he would head to the north, toward Uzbekistan or Tajikistan because of the likelihood that he and his al Qaeda forces would run into the Northern Alliance, perhaps U.S. troops in the region. Experts say that perhaps the most likely safe havens for him would be Sudan or Iraq.

Now, U.S. officials speaking out on the Sunday morning talk shows, both Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell are saying that the effort -- the U.S. effort in the region remains focused on eliminating not just al Qaeda, but the Taliban; removing all, what they consider terrorist forces, from the region and building a very strong coalition government to restore order to the country.

Back to you, Martin.

SAVIDGE: Kathleen Koch from the Pentagon, thank you very much for the update.

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