Uncle Sam
02-21-2004, 12:43 PM
http://sify.com/news/international/fullstory.php?id=13397330
Washington: The US has scotched reports coming out of Pakistan that its forces have captured Osama bin Laden.
"That would be news to everybody in this room. No, I haven't heard anything - haven't heard anything like that," spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters at the White House here yesterday.
Asked to clarify what prompted President Pervez Musharraf to say a couple of weeks ago that Pakistani forces would have bin Laden by the year-end, the spokesman said, "I speak for the President. Obviously, I don't speak for President Musharraf."
As for whether the capture of bin Landen would signal the end of the war on terrorism, McClellan said the war on terrorism would continue. "And obviously, we have made significant progress in the war on terrorism. But as the President has said, this is something that is not going to be won overnight."
He pointed out that the US and its allies had already either "captured or otherwise gotten rid of two-thirds of the al Qaeda leadership and we continue to pursue other members of al Qaeda, including Osama bin Laden."
"We will find him [bin Laden] and we will bring him to justice. The President has been very clear on that."
Washington: The US has scotched reports coming out of Pakistan that its forces have captured Osama bin Laden.
"That would be news to everybody in this room. No, I haven't heard anything - haven't heard anything like that," spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters at the White House here yesterday.
Asked to clarify what prompted President Pervez Musharraf to say a couple of weeks ago that Pakistani forces would have bin Laden by the year-end, the spokesman said, "I speak for the President. Obviously, I don't speak for President Musharraf."
As for whether the capture of bin Landen would signal the end of the war on terrorism, McClellan said the war on terrorism would continue. "And obviously, we have made significant progress in the war on terrorism. But as the President has said, this is something that is not going to be won overnight."
He pointed out that the US and its allies had already either "captured or otherwise gotten rid of two-thirds of the al Qaeda leadership and we continue to pursue other members of al Qaeda, including Osama bin Laden."
"We will find him [bin Laden] and we will bring him to justice. The President has been very clear on that."