US can't confirm bin Laden death
2006-09-23 20:08
Washington - The United States state department said on Saturday that it was unable to confirm a French newspaper report that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had died.
The report said bi Laden was believed to have died in Pakistan last month.
"We don't have any confirmation of those reports," said state department spokesperson Sean McCormack.
"We have no confirmation of that report," echoed White House spokesperson Blair Jones.
A US intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, came closer to an outright denial, saying Washington had no evidence to suggest the French report was true.
"We don't have anything to support it," said the official on Saturday.
"We've heard these things before and have no reason to think this is any different. There's just nothing we can point to, to say this report has any more credence than other reports we've seen in the past."
The French regional daily L'Est Republicain reported that, according to a French secret service report, Saudi Arabia was convinced bin Laden had died of typhoid in Pakistan in late August.
Reports surface periodically
The French government says it cannot confirm the report and will investigate the intelligence leak.
Media reports suggesting bin Laden was dead, seriously wounded or ill have surfaced periodically over the years.
US officials have suggested that his death would be accompanied by a surge of email and telephone chatter among bereaved al-Qaeda members, if not an actual announcement from the network.
Officials said they were not aware of any such chatter in recent weeks.
But a US counter terrorism official, who spoke off the record, declined to completely rule out bin Laden's death.
"It's quite possible (that) there was some talk of this, but in terms of being able to confirm this, that I can't do," said the official.
A factor fuelling persistent speculation about bin Laden's health is that he has not been seen on a new videotape since late 2004.
But US intelligence officials say bin Laden, 49, has released several audiotapes this year, which the department has authenticated.
His latest audiotape, say officials, surfaced in July.