US officials have acknowledged they were wary of efforts by the Al-Qaeda network to obtain weapons of mass destruction, noting that they are examining more than 50 sites in Afghanistan as a result. It is frightening, General Tommy Franks, head of the US military campaign in Afghanistan, told ABC television.
He said the number of Afghan sites that US examining has grown to something a bit over 50 installations, from around 40 in November.
Some of the information that we have gained would allude to perhaps - I don't want to call them science projects, but would make reference to things like poisons, the building of explosives, some of these cookbooks that we have talked about before that talk about terrorist approaches to problems and how buildings can be destroyed, and so forth, Franks said. Asked whether the organization led by Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden had the means to create weapons of mass destruction - including nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological weapons - franks replied this isn't a confirmation yet.
He also said he was unable to confirm reports in the British press that documents outlining a planned bomb attack on London were found at an Al-Qaeda training camp in Kandahar.
The Independent said it had seen detailed notes found in Kandahar terrorist safe house for an Al-Qaeda plan to detonate a huge car bomb in the Moorgate area of London via remote control.
Bureau Report