Officials in France, Pakistan and the United States say they cannot confirm a published report that al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is dead.
The French comment comes directly from President Jacques Chirac, who was asked about the report Saturday at a news conference alongside the visiting leaders of Russia and Germany. He expressed surprise about the story.
A French regional newspaper (L'Est Republicain) published the report about bin Laden. The newspaper said its story was based on a French foreign intelligence document that cites information from Saudi intelligence.
In Washington, a White House spokesman also said he could not confirm the information. A Pakistani Foreign Ministry official made a similar comment.
There have been many reports in the past that bin Laden had died.
The Washington-based IntelCenter, a firm that monitors terrorism communications, tells VOA it has seen nothing to indicate that bin Laden has died. IntelCenter director Ben Venzke says he thinks al-Qaida would release information of bin Laden's death fairly quickly if it were true.
The French newspaper story says bin Laden died of typhoid last month in Pakistan.
The French comment comes directly from President Jacques Chirac, who was asked about the report Saturday at a news conference alongside the visiting leaders of Russia and Germany. He expressed surprise about the story.
A French regional newspaper (L'Est Republicain) published the report about bin Laden. The newspaper said its story was based on a French foreign intelligence document that cites information from Saudi intelligence.
In Washington, a White House spokesman also said he could not confirm the information. A Pakistani Foreign Ministry official made a similar comment.
There have been many reports in the past that bin Laden had died.
The Washington-based IntelCenter, a firm that monitors terrorism communications, tells VOA it has seen nothing to indicate that bin Laden has died. IntelCenter director Ben Venzke says he thinks al-Qaida would release information of bin Laden's death fairly quickly if it were true.
The French newspaper story says bin Laden died of typhoid last month in Pakistan.