Military

DATE=11/1/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=OSAMA / PENTAGON (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-282541(cq)

BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA

DATELINE=PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

/// RE-ISSUING, REPHRASING INTRO AND DROPPING PHRASE IN FIRST GRAPH OF TEXT - PLEASE MAKE VOICED REPORT CONFORM WITH TEXT ///

INTRO: U-S and foreign intelligence agencies are actively attempting to track down Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the terror attacks in the United States. But as V-O-A Correspondent Alex Belida reports from the Pentagon, officials say that so far there have been no close calls.

TEXT: Listening to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, it would be easy to conclude U-S officials are not trying to hunt down Osama bin Laden.

Mr. Rumsfeld tells V-O-A that American operations in Afghanistan are not focused on the al-Qaida leader.

/// RUMSFELD ACT ///

I don't know how I could say it any clearer, that our task is not him. It is the network that he is a part of and all of the people in it and stopping them from killing people. That is what we're trying to do. And I do not get up in the morning and worry about any one individual.

/// END ACT ///

Despite this, a senior Pentagon official involved in the Afghan operation tells reporters there are numerous intelligence reports about Osama bin Laden's whereabouts. Rear Admiral John Stufflebeem is on the Joint Staff and regularly briefs news reporters about U-S military activities.

/// STUFFLEBEEM ACT ///

I've seen many reports over the last numbers of days, I haven't counted it, of where people attribute (where) Osama bin Laden either was or may have been...

/// END ACT ///

Admiral Stufflebeem goes on to disclose most of the reports have placed the al-Qaida leader in either the Kabul or Kandahar areas.

He declines to elaborate.

But other U-S defense officials now admit American and other intelligence agencies are actively trying to locate Osama bin Laden. These officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, say they are collecting a steady flow of tips as to the terrorist suspect's location.

But they say the information gathered so far has been either outdated, false, or cases of misidentification. And they concede that there have been no near-misses to date in the effort to kill or capture Osama bin Laden. (Signed)

NEB/BEL/JWH