Rumors spread of bin Laden capture

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- The United States and its allies have intensified searches along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan for terrorists they fear may respond to war against Iraq with attacks, intelligence sources say.\nThe sweeps followed the March 1 arrest of al Qaeda's third most powerful man, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed -- suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks.\nIn the hours after his arrest, a belligerent Mohammed praised Osama bin Laden and warned that "America will burn if it goes into Baghdad. Americans everywhere will not be safe," Pakistani intelligence officials told The Associated Press.\nIn a rare briefing for journalists this week, the Pakistani spy agency said Mohammed admitted meeting bin Laden last December but did not say where. A video was shown depicting the arrest of Mohammed, whose face was never shown and whose head was covered by a black hood.\nPakistani officials denied an Iran Radio report that bin Laden had been captured in Pakistan on Wednesday. The Iranian report on the state radio's external service, monitored by the BBC in London, quoted the deputy leader of the Islamic Awami Tahrik party in Pakistan, Murtaza Poya, as saying bin Laden had been arrested and officials would not announce his capture until a war with Iraq started.\n"It is not correct," Interior Ministry Secretary Iftikar Ahmed told AP. \n"This is just not true," said Brig. Javed Iqbal Cheema, Pakistan's intelligence coordinator in the war on terror.\nPakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed also denied the report and told a news conference earlier, "Osama is not in Pakistan. We have no information about Osama bin Laden and if someone has this information he should tell us."\nIn Washington, CIA spokesman Bill Harlow said, "We are unaware of bin Laden being captured by anyone at this time."\nMeanwhile, an intelligence source told AP that Mohammed was questioned at a "safe house" belonging to the Pakistani spy agency. The source said his head was covered in a black hood and he spoke in English and Arabic. American interrogators were present, but Mohammed did not see them.\nSince launching the assault along the border, Pakistani sources said, "We are making arrests everywhere." They did not elaborate.\nA European intelligence source said Pakistani military and paramilitary forces have staked out the tribal corridor that runs between Pakistan and Afghanistan, sweeping through rugged pockets that could provide a haven for Taliban and al Qaeda fugitives.\nWhile the entire border is suspect, Pakistani forces are concentrated in southwestern Baluchistan province between Quetta and the Iranian border. They are also focusing on the northwest frontier province near Balikot, 120 miles (190 kilometers) northwest of the federal capital of Islamabad and farther northwest in the Chitral area, according to Pakistani intelligence officials.\nBin Laden is not the only focus of the hunt. They also are searching for other al Qaeda operatives, Taliban and loyalists of renegade Afghan rebel leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.\nA poster depicting 16 wanted men, including Hekmatyar, bin Laden and Taliban leader Mullah Omar, has been circulated in the region, as well as leaflets reminding people of the $25 million reward for their capture.\nThe posters are written in Persian and Pashtu, the predominant languages of the region.