February 29, 2004
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INDOlink.com
Islamabad -- Iran is in contact with Al-Qaeda terror network, US State Department’s ambassador-at-large J Cofer Black has alleged. He has demanded that Iran must expel or extradite all members of the network to the countries of their origin.
In an exclusive interview with Geo TV, Black said that US intelligence agencies are aware of the presence of some senior al-Qaeda leaders in Iran who are dangerous. He said that "these al-Qaeda operators are not only a threat to the US but they are also a threat to Pakistan".
Black appreciated the role of Pakistan in the war against terrorism and said that "two-thirds of al-Qaeda has been neutralised and more than 3,500 supporters have been arrested all over the world after 9/11".
He was not sure that Osama bin Laden would be captured alive but he said one thing with full confidence: "We will capture him very soon, if he does not surrender, then I don’t know what will happen?"
Black categorically denied the report of Radio Tehran that Osama was captured in South Waziristan. He said that the radio made the same claim last year, which was not true.
Black served for 28 years in the CIA but he was not ready to answer some questions related to intelligence. He neither confirmed nor contradicted the recent secret visit of CIA chief George Tenet to Pakistan. He was not ready to comment on a reported meeting between Tenet and Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan in Islamabad but he said that Dr Qadeer is definitely providing vital information about proliferation.
Responding to a question, Black confirmed that coalition troops in Afghanistan are preparing for a major "hunt Osama operation" but he refused to comment on the reports that Osama’s deputy Dr Ayman al-Zawahri was spotted by US spy planes recently in the Waziristan region. Black also spoke on the threat of nuclear terrorism.