Osama may sneak into India, US seeks assistance
A senior official of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) quietly visited India last week to alert intelligence agencies about the possibility of Osama bin Laden sneaking into India, official sources said Monday.
The Pakistan-based official also sought Indian assistance for joint operations by Indian and US forces to nab the world's most wanted fugitive if he crossed over from northeastern Pakistan, the sources said.
The official's visit followed reported spotting of bin Laden in northeastern Pakistan, close to the Pakistan-China-India border tri-junction, they added.
The sources said the FBI official met senior officials of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
They said the FBI official appeared to have information about the impending release of the latest videotape by bin Laden, carrying yet another warning against the US.
A few days later, on Oct 29, an unidentified person delivered the tape to the office of Al Jazeera television in Islamabad.
In the tape, bin Laden warned the American people: "Your security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or al-Qaeda." He was referring to the Democratic nominee for the presidential election John Kerry and President George W Bush.
"Your security is in your own hands. Do not play with our security, and spontaneously you will secure yourself," bin Laden said in the tape.
The FBI official also offered to share intelligence with Indian agencies about areas of common interest like Afghanistan, the sources said.
Defence sources Monday dismissed as "highly exaggerated" news reports that an Indian Air Force spy plane had spotted bin Laden's convoy in northeastern Pakistan.
"For all you know, Osama may be living in Karachi," the Pakistani port city where many of his senior al-Qaeda and Taliban activists had found safe houses, one official said.
They noted that from his appearance in the videotape, bin Laden looked healthy and not like someone on the run.