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Satellites tracking Bin Laden, now hiding in Kandahar

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Sunday, September 16, 2001

WASHINGTON Ñ Saudi millionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden has moved amid U.S. plans to retaliate for the suicide attacks in New York and Washington.

Bin Laden is hiding in the Kandahar area of Afghanistan, diplomatic sources said. They said the Saudi national left for his new location immediately after the suicide attacks on Sept. 11, Middle East Newsline reported.

The sources said Bin Laden's movements have been tracked by satellite as well as by agents within Afghanistan. They said Bin Laden continues to enjoy the protection of the ruling Taleban movement.



Russia is cooperating with the U.S. investigation and its Foreign Intelligence Service reportedly provided inormation on Islamic groups that worked for Bin Laden.

The Moscow-based Izvestiya daily said this included Jamiyat Al Islamiya, with links to both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The Russian intelligence agency said the group is preparing new attacks on U.S. installations with the help of a pool of 400 suicide bombers.

On Saturday, Iran closed its border with Afghanistan. Officials in Teheran said the move came amid the assessment that the United States would soon attack Afghanistan and that thousands of Afghans would seek to enter Iran.

The United States is organizing a military force to respond to last week's attacks. Over the weekend, President George Bush authorized a mobilization of 50,000 reserves, including logistics troops, emergency medical personnel and air support personnel.

Washington is focusing on winning diplomatic, intelligence and even military support from its allies in Europe and the Middle East. Officials said virtually every national leader who has dealt with the United States is being contacted.

"We are asking all the nations to join together to use political action, diplomatic action, economic action, legal action, law enforcement action," U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "and if necessary, join with us as appropriate and if necessary in military action when we have identified the perpetrators and decided what military action might be appropriate. And so there is a lot that we can do."

Arab diplomats said many Arab League members are willing to help the United States. But they said this would not include participation in any military action.

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