BERLIN -Germany's intelligence chief said yesterday he believes Osama bin Laden is alive and continues to exert influence in his al-Qaeda terror network.
All indications are that he is alive
said August Hanning, head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service.
German intelligence officials believe, as they have for some time, that bin Laden is living in the Afghan-Pakistani border area, Hanning said. He did not specify which side of the border.
We continue to see traces of his activity. He tries to organize to motivate his followers, Hanning said. He did not elaborate.
The Saudi-born bin Laden's organization is blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the United States and a series of worldwide terror strikes since.
Hanning also warned that violence in Iraq risks plunging the country into the chaos of a disintegrating failed state resembling terrorist havens like pre-Sept. 11 Afghanistan. U.S.-led airstrikes in Afghanistan ousted the Taliban in late 2001 for harboring bin Laden and al-Qaeda.
A breakdown in Iraq would destabilize the Middle East, boost Islamic terrorism worldwide and might allow terrorists to put scientists involved in Saddam Hussein's weapons programs to work for them, the intelligence chief added.
Extending security across Iraq, with its diverse ethnic and religious groups, is a tough task that will still claim many victims
he said.
The outlook is dark if this task is not mastered
Hanning said in a speech at a terrorism conference. In this case
a trend like in Afghanistan or Lebanon in the past is a very likely scenario.
Stoked by radical Islamic views inspired by bin Laden, terrorist attacks and military action by U.S.-led troops are pushing Iraq toward a crossroads that could end with peaceful reconstruction -or chaos, he said.
Setting Iraq firmly on the path to security and democracy is by no means ensured because the way there is still very rocky
Hanning said.
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