The White House this afternoon refused to confirm reports that Osama bin Laden is alive and that US and Pakistani authorities are tightening the noose around the world's most wanted fugitive.
"I'm not in the position to confirm anything about that," said spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer, who told reporters that recent audiotapes purportedly by the al-Qaeda leader strongly suggested he was still alive.
Mr Fleischer was cautious about the impact on the hunt for bin Laden of the recent capture of al-Qaeda operations chief Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
"We don't know with precision exactly what the information we're getting will lead to. I would not want to exaggerate or overblow or overestimate anything. We are hopeful that it will lead to considerable information," he said.
"The one driving goal of the information that we are getting is to protect the American people from any planned future attacks. And that is the purpose of this. But I don't want to over-exaggerate or exaggerate anything that we may or may not get," said Fleischer.
ABC television has reported that bin Laden is alive and hunkered down in a region bordering Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan and that US and Pakistani officials hope to capture him soon.
AFP