DUSHANBE, July 18, Asia-Plus – Leader of Al-Qaeda terrorist network Osama bin Laden is not on the territory of Tajikistan, Tohir Normatov, the head of the Interior Ministry chief staff, told journalists in Dushanbe yesterday, commenting on reports by some U.S. media that Osama bin Laden could be hiding in Central Asia.
“There are no any grounds for such a statement,” Mr. Normatov said.
On July 3, former adviser to White House for counterterrorism Richard Clarke said in his interview with National Public Radio that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden could be hiding in
Central Asia
. This Clarke”s comment has prompted a round of responses from Central Asian officials.
Russia
media claim that by this statement Richard Clarke “tried to discredit activity of antiterrorist organizations such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), accusing them of incompetent negligence in providing security in the Central Asian region.”
