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Osama crippled as Al-Qaeda leader: official

ISLAMABAD: Isolated with only a small core of mainly Arab supporters, Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has been crippled as the militant organisation's chief, his command network shattered and his communications ability limited to messages passed from hand to hand, senior Pakistani military and intelligence officials said on Sunday. There have been no fresh clues to Osama's whereabouts, but he is generally believed to be hiding in the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan. ``In our opinion, the reports on the whereabouts of Osama are more speculative stories rather than based on accurate intelligence,'' said Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan, chief spokesman for Pakistan's army, which has fought intense battles with the Al-Qaeda-linked militants in the rugged tribal regions bordering Afghanistan. - AP

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