Musharraf: bin Laden may be dead

12/22/2001

Associated Press

BEIJING — Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf says he's "reasonably sure" that Osama bin Laden has not escaped to Pakistan and that there's a "great possibility" that the al-Qaida leader is dead.

In an interview broadcast Saturday on Chinese state television, Musharraf said Pakistan would hand bin Laden to the United States if he's caught.

``He's not in Pakistan, of that we are reasonably sure. But we can't be 100 percent sure. We have sealed the borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan,'' Musharraf said.

``The Tora Bora region in which he was supposed to be operating ... has about eight passes leading into Pakistan,'' Musharraf said. ``We are guarding each one of these passes.''

``Maybe he is dead because of all the operations that have been conducted, the bombardment of all the caves,'' Musharraf said. ``There is a great possibility that he may have lost his life there.''

``If he does enter, if we identify him, he will be handed over,'' Musharraf added.

China Central Television said it interviewed Musharraf on Friday, the second day of his current trip to China.