Washington, Feb 28: Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he is not convinced that Osama bin Laden is alive - but he wishes the al-Qaida leader would appear in person and answer a question: "What the hell has he been up to?" During a news conference yesterday at the National Press Club, Karzai said he doesn't know if bin Laden is dead, or alive and in hiding. But he said he doubts the authenticity of recent audio messages in which bin Laden tried to rally Iraqis and expressed a desire to die a martyr.

If bin Laden has more to say, Karzai said, he should do so on video tape. "If he is alive, then he must show up and have a video for us to watch," Karzai said. "If he can send an audio tape, he can also send a video tape. They are almost the same size. ... That would be, for us, an indication that he is alive.''


Karzai's assessment contradicted that offered Monday by his foreign minister, Abdullah, who said he believes bin Laden and Mullah Mohammed Omar, former leader of the Taliban movement, may be hiding in the mountains along the border with Pakistan. Abdullah was seated beside Karzai as he spoke yesterday, and did not react to Karzai's remarks.

The Afghan president hotly criticised bin Laden as a ruthless exploiter of poor Muslims and the perpetrator of "unbelievable brutality" against Afghans. "And then he went beyond that to attack humanity all over, in America and in the Islamic world," Karzai said. I'm looking for him, to find him. I really have to face him and ask him what the hell has he been up to? Why would he go around and keep killing people?" Karzai said. "He has lots to answer, to God and to mankind." Bureau Report