US spy chief believes Osama is in Pakistan

The al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden is alive and sheltering in tribal areas of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, US director of national intelligence Mike McConnell said.

Washington, July 23 : The al Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden is alive and sheltering in tribal areas of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, US director of national intelligence Mike McConnell said.

"My personal view is that he's alive, but we don't know because we can't confirm it for over a year. I believe he is in the tribal region of Pakistan," McConnell told NBC television.

He blamed President Pervez Musharraf's for allowing the al Qaeda to regroup via a peace pact last year with tribal leaders in the border areas. But Musharraf remains a key ally, he said.

A new report by the US intelligence community last week said that the al Qaeda had regrouped in its Pakistani "safe haven" and was determined to inflict mass casualties through new attacks on the US.

"Instead of pushing the al Qaeda out, they made a safe haven for training and recruiting. Al Qaeda's been able to regain some of its momentum," the US spy chief said.

He added that if Musharraf were forced to step down from power by the Islamist violence and pro-democracy unrest sweeping Pakistan that could have a "severe impact" on the US struggle against terrorism.

ANI