Bin Laden 'hiding in Pakistan'
Saturday, 09 Feb 2008 08:50
Osama bin Laden is allegedly hiding out in Pakistan
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Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is among those seeking refuge in
Pakistan's tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, the US government believes.
A senior US official made the claim at a media briefing yesterday, suggesting Bin Laden was one of many of the terrorist group's commanders using the relative autonomy granted to the tribal regions as a safe haven.
The official alleged that Taliban commander Mullah Omar, whose organisation is behind the insurgency in neighbouring Afghanistan, is also in the region.
Omar is located in Quetta, capital of the western Pakistani province of Balochistan, the US source alleged.
The claim has been angrily denied by Islamabad, which insists both Bin Laden and Omar are not in Pakistan.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Mohammad Sadiq criticised the US for not providing a source for their claims.
"If there is any actionable intelligence it should be shared with the government of Pakistan so that they can be neutralised," he told the Reuters news agency.
"You don't talk to the media if you have information like this."
The Pakistani government is seeking to maintain order after political violence since opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's assassination on December 27th.
Her killing triggered unrest which left hundreds dead and forced the postponement of elections to February 18th.