PARIS (Reuters) - France's Defence Ministry said on Saturday a secret service report saying al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had died could not be confirmed but said it would launch an inquiry into the leak of secret documents.
The Defence Ministry issued the statement after a French regional newspaper, L'Est Republicain, published a report quoting a French secret service report as saying Saudi Arabia is convinced al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden died of typhoid in Pakistan last month.
"The information published this morning in the L'Est Republicain newspaper relating to the supposed death of Osama bin Laden cannot be confirmed," the Defence Ministry said.
"The Defence Minister (Michele Alliot-Marie) has asked that an inquiry be carried out to determine the origin of the leak that can be punished by criminal charges."
The newspaper printed what it said was a copy of the report dated September 21 and said it was shown to President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and France's interior and defence ministers on the same day.
"According to a usually reliable source, the Saudi services are now convinced that Osama bin Laden is dead," the document said.
"The information gathered by the Saudis indicates that the head of al Qaeda was a victim while he was in Pakistan on August 23, 2006, of a very serious case of typhoid which led to a partial paralysis of his internal organs."
The report, which was stamped with a "confidential defence" label and the initials of the French secret service, said Saudi Arabia first heard the information on September 4 and that it was waiting for more details before making an official announcement.
A senior official in Pakistan said no foreign government had shared information with Pakistan that would back up the report of bin Laden's death.
Saudi-born bin Laden was based in Afghanistan until the Taliban government there was overthrown by U.S.-backed forces in 2001. Since then, U.S. and Pakistani officials have regularly said they believe he is hiding somewhere on the rugged border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The last videotaped message released by bin Laden was in late 2004, but there have been several low quality audio tapes released this year.
(Additional reporting by Islamabad bureau)
-- Edited by Ngwazi at 13:46, 2006-09-23
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For have I now become your enemy for telling you the truth?-Galatians 4 v16.
This is not the first time such rumors are spreading. and its part of the plan for them to cut the chase. The guy is still chilling and probably fasting during this month Ramadan in the Pak Mountains. We could have heard about it the day he died. Rumor also has it that the son of Laden said that he will do anything in his power to end the marriage between his dream girl Whitney and Bobby. He claims that Bobby brainwashed Whitney by introducing her to drugs. We wonder what is going to happen now that the two are going through divorce!
Oh yeah I heard on Jay Leno this BS about Bin Laden and his infatuation for Whitney, was this for real? Damn I used to think that Bin Laden despise all Americans.
Rumor also has it that the son of Laden said that he will do anything in his power to end the marriage between his dream girl Whitney and Bobby. He claims that Bobby brainwashed Whitney by introducing her to drugs. We wonder what is going to happen now that the two are going through divorce!
Mkulugwangu Abuhakim,
Differences aside,just wanted to wish you a very spiritual Ramadan Mubarak.Pliz read Surah 39:10-15.May Allah guide you in these times.
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For have I now become your enemy for telling you the truth?-Galatians 4 v16.
Brandy1 wrote: Oh yeah I heard on Jay Leno this BS about Bin Laden and his infatuation for Whitney, was this for real? Damn I used to think that Bin Laden despise all Americans.
It;s amazing how they seem to know all this stuff about him but his location.
Pope wrote: Abuhakimu,wish you a well during your Rhamadan,may God guide you thru this trying period.
you can not believe what happened to me on this first day of Ramadhan. i was coming from night Prayer which got finished around 21:00 and happened to pass some fellows leaning on their VW Golf Velociti sipping some Haineken with their girlfriends. i usually wear this long robes and a topie,i thought of a fresh start to this Ramadhan and decided to wear a short robe which is sliced on the sides and my regular topie. These guys and the girls started laughing at me calling me Bruce Lee in a foreign language. i excisiced my pacience and said "thats not the way to please the ladies" in same language which they thought i didnt know! the girls atarted laughing at them instead.
Am proud of my creed but my question is do we really look that funny. or was it Satan tempting me?