- News>
- Archives
Laden, Omar still in Afghanistan: Myers
The US military believes top terror suspect Osama Bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar are still in Afghanistan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers said on Sunday.
The US military believes top terror suspect Osama Bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar are still in Afghanistan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers said on Sunday.
"We think we know in general where he is," Myers told Fox News when asked about Bin Laden. "To the best of our knowledge, he has not left the country."
The US general said if Bin Laden, believed by Washington to be the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks on US targets, were able to leave Afghanistan, "he'll go to his second most favorite country."
Myers did not name a specific nation, merely indicating that anywhere other than Afghanistan would be a less ideal safe haven for the Saudi-born militant.
About Omar, the Taliban's supreme leader, Myers said: "We think we know where he is in a relatively large area, and we'll continue to hunt for the Taliban leadership, not just Omar."
The top US general praised the work of US marines operating in southern Afghanistan, saying their mission to block leaders of the country's Islamic militia and al-Qaeda members from crossing into Pakistan was running smoothly.
"We think we've been relatively successful," he said, although noting "there are many routes across. It's almost impossible to seal the border." Myers said the US military had boarded "a couple of ships" off the Pakistani coast after receiving specific information that leaders of Bin Laden's al-Qaeda militant network could be aboard. "No luck so far," he said.
The general said the United States was "very happy with the cooperation we've got from the Pakistani military." Bureau Report
"We think we know in general where he is," Myers told Fox News when asked about Bin Laden. "To the best of our knowledge, he has not left the country."
The US general said if Bin Laden, believed by Washington to be the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks on US targets, were able to leave Afghanistan, "he'll go to his second most favorite country."
Myers did not name a specific nation, merely indicating that anywhere other than Afghanistan would be a less ideal safe haven for the Saudi-born militant.
About Omar, the Taliban's supreme leader, Myers said: "We think we know where he is in a relatively large area, and we'll continue to hunt for the Taliban leadership, not just Omar."
The top US general praised the work of US marines operating in southern Afghanistan, saying their mission to block leaders of the country's Islamic militia and al-Qaeda members from crossing into Pakistan was running smoothly.
"We think we've been relatively successful," he said, although noting "there are many routes across. It's almost impossible to seal the border." Myers said the US military had boarded "a couple of ships" off the Pakistani coast after receiving specific information that leaders of Bin Laden's al-Qaeda militant network could be aboard. "No luck so far," he said.
The general said the United States was "very happy with the cooperation we've got from the Pakistani military." Bureau Report