Wednesday, November 17, 1999

LONDON -- Islamic fundamentalists as well as several leading politicians in Albania are believed to be helping Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden find a new place of refuge, Arab sources said this week.

The sources said Western intelligence agencies believe Bin Laden is in contact with supporters in Albania and Kosovo in an attempt to find a new refuge amid heavy United States pressure on the Taliban ruling faction in Afghanistan to surrender Bin Laden.

For the United States, the sources said, the problem is compounded by links Bin Laden has formed with Albanian politicians. They said Bin Laden has bought several key politicians who have looked away from the activities of his supporters in Albania.

On Monday, the London-based Al Quds Al Arabi daily reported that the CIA is investigating the connection between Albania and Bin Laden.

Earlier, Albanian police working and the CIA arrested a Jordanian national suspected of being an associate of Bin Laden in Albania. The arrest was conducted on Friday and the Jordanian national was taken out of the country.

The Tirana-based Koha Jone daily said on Sunday that the 42-year-old suspect was a Jordanian businessman who had been living in Albania since 1992 and had been granted Albanian citizenship. The unidentified businessman heads a charity and has interests in the construction business, the newspaper said.

"Escorted by the CIA agents, he was taken by special plane to an unknown destination," the paper said.

On Sunday, the United Nations ignored Taliban appeals and imposed sanctions on Afghanistan for its refusal to hand over Bin Laden.