'Bin Laden is alive'
2004-10-07 15:15
Berlin - Germany's intelligence chief said on Thursday he believes that Osama bin Laden is alive and continues to exert influence in his al-Qaeda terror network.
"All indications are that he is alive," August Hanning, head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service, told a news conference.
German intelligence officials believe, as they have for some time, that bin Laden is living in the Afghan-Pakistani border area, Hanning said. He did not specify which side of the border.
"We continue to see traces of his activity. He tries to organise, to motivate" his followers, Hanning said. He did not elaborate.
The Saudi-born bin Laden's organization is blamed for the September 11 attacks on the United States and a series of terror strikes since.
United States vice-president Dick Cheney said during Tuesday's debate with Democratic running mate John Edwards that the Bush administration remains committed to aggressively pursuing bin Laden.
- AP