Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, November 18, 2001
Pentagon Says No Sign Showing Bin Laden Has Left Afghanistan
The Taliban envoy to Pakistan said Saturday that Osama bin Laden has left Afghanistan to unspecified destination. But the US Defense Department said Saturday it has no evidence that Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden has left Afghanistan.
The Taliban envoy to Pakistan said Saturday that Osama bin Laden has left Afghanistan to unspecified destination.
"Osama has left Afghanistan with his children and his wives, and we have no idea where he has gone," Abdul Salam Zaeef, the envoy said at the Ghman border-crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Associated Press quoted the envoy as saying that it was not possible to independently confirm the claim.
"I Did Not Say Osama Left Afghanistan:" Zaeef
Zaeef, however, denied Saturday night in Islamabad that he is not aware of the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, according to the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).
"I did not say Osama had left Afghanistan," Zaeef told the AIP, "I just said I was not aware of his whereabouts."
Pentagon Says No Sign Showing Bin Laden Has Left Afghanistan
The U.S. Defense Department said Saturday it has no evidence that Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden has left Afghanistan.
"We have no evidence that he has left Afghanistan," Pentagon spokesman Glenn Flood said. "Our search continues."
On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said that he thought bin Laden was still in Afghanistan.
"There is every reason to believe he's in Afghanistan. There are lots of places bin Laden could go," Rumsfeld added.
Bin Laden is considered a "prime suspect" by the U.S. authorities in connection with the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.