WAR ON TERRORISM Forces step up search for bin Laden, other leaders

Officials denied reports that bin Laden has already been captured.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
WASHINGTON -- As the weather begins to improve along the rugged, remote border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, U.S. and Pakistani forces are stepping up their hunt for Osama bin Laden, his top lieutenant and Afghanistan's former Taliban ruler, U.S. officials said last week.
The officials said the Central Intelligence Agency has moved at least two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), both armed with Hellfire missiles, from Iraq to Afghanistan, and that the military's Central Command is sending an unspecified number of special forces soldiers who've been stationed in Iraq to Afghanistan, as well.
In addition, said the officials, who all spoke on the condition of anonymity because the operations are highly classified, U.S. reconnaissance satellites were redirected this weekend to spend more time over border areas near Pakistan's South Waziristan region, where Pakistani forces recently have clashed with what appear to be heavily armed members of Al-Qaida or of Afghanistan's former Taliban military.
However, the officials cautioned that they still had no independently confirmed intelligence pinpointing bin Laden, his second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, or Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, and on Friday they said the unusually public discussions of intensifying operations are an effort to flush out the 6-foot, 5-inch Al-Qaida leader in hopes that UAVs, other aircraft, satellites or spies are more likely to spot him if he moves.
Denied reports
The officials also denied reports on Iranian state radio that bin Laden was captured some time ago.
"That report, as well as the suggestion that we're closing in on bin Laden and about to pounce are overstated," one military official said Saturday. "We're making a lot of progress, but it won't be over 'til it's over, and there's no telling when that'll be."
The officials also expressed skepticism about reports that intercepted satellite telephone conversations referring to "the sheik," a suspected code name for bin Laden, indicate the presence of Al-Qaida members along the border.
The officials said they expect that the hunt will end, whenever it does, in bin Laden's death rather than his capture. Both the armed Predator UAVs and the special forces teams along the border are authorized to shoot to kill if they're certain they have bin Laden, al-Zawahiri or Omar in sight, one official said.