CIA: Bin Laden isolated from al-Qaida
Friday, 14 Nov 2008 08:50
US intelligence agencies suggest that Osama bin Laden is isolated from al-Qaida
US intelligence agencies have suggested that Osama Bin Laden is isolated from al-Qaida and is spending the majority of his time trying to survive.
CIA director Michael Hayden said that hunting down the al-Qaida leader remained a top priority for the agency.
"He is putting a lot of energy into his own survival - a lot of energy into his own security," he said in a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington.
"In fact, he appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organisation he nominally heads," he said.
During the last month or so there have been a number of suspected US missile strikes around the
Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The US military maintains that the Taliban and al-Qaida operate with relative impunity within the tribal areas along the border.
Mr Hayden said that the groups were suffering as a result of the sustaining fighting but remained a serious threat.
"Al-Qaida has suffered serious setbacks, but it remains a determined, adaptive enemy unlike any our nation has ever faced," Mr Hayden said.
"The war is far from over."
The CIA claims that while Bin Laden may no longer actively leading al-Qaida, his capture would be hugely significant.
"This is an organisation that has never been through a change at the top," Mr Hayden said.
"For 20 years, Bin Laden has been the visionary, the inspiration or harmonising force behind al-Qaida."
"The truth is, we simply don't know what would happen if Bin Laden is killed or captured. But I'm willing to bet that whatever happens, it would work in our favor."