French Want Probe Into Bin Laden Leak

(CBS/AP)  French President Jacques Chirac said Saturday that information contained in a leaked intelligence document raising the possibility that Osama bin Laden may have died of typhoid in Pakistan last month is "in no way whatsoever confirmed."

Chirac said he was "a bit surprised" at the leak and has asked Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie to investigate how a document from a French foreign intelligence service was published in the French press.

The regional newspaper L'Est Republicain on Saturday printed what it described as a copy of a confidential document from the DGSE intelligence service citing an uncorroborated report from a "usually reliable source" saying that Saudi secret services are convinced the leader of the al Qaeda terror network had died.

The DGSE sent the document, dated Sept. 21 or Thursday, to Chirac and other top French officials, the newspaper said.

"This information is in no way whatsoever confirmed," Chirac said Saturday when asked about the document. "I have no comment."

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Bin Laden: Dead Or Alive? Read CBS News's Exclusive Report.

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Officials from Afghanistan to Washington expressed doubts about the report and a Saudi Interior Ministry official refused comment.

"We have no response to the question of whether bin Laden is dead or alive," the Interior Ministry official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

A senior White house official says of the information, "I wouldn't hold your breath," reports CBS News White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

A senior official in Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said he is "very skeptical of the truthfulness" of the document, noting past false reports of the death of bin Laden. He was not authorized to address the issue and asked that his name not be used.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Tasnim Aslam, called the information "speculative," saying that Pakistan like other countries was "clueless about him."

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[world-view]

RD1963: Another clueless American thinking the world ends at the U.S. border. Wonders "Why do they hate us so?" and guesses it has something to do with "freedom". Get a clue - the rest of the world is fed up with U.S. domination. All the good will you gained after 9-11 was squandered in your deceitful exploitation of that tragedy. You will not long survive by telling the rest of the world to kiss your *** or else.

[dargay]

WHAT A USELESS STORY!

[rd1963-2009]

This is so childish

People walking down the street with protests signs all over the world. You think they speak for everyone? WRONG!

They are a very small percentage of the population. You know knowing what the majority thinks. Obviously your head stuck deep, where you can see reality.

Your a punk. Your living in the 1960's.

The world doesn't care about protestors. Lock'm up and throw away the key, lol

Come on, be a big maucho man, with a tiny stick in your hand and waive it in my face. I'd love to teach you about life.

[rd1963-2009]

World-view, you only speak for yourself. Don't push your views on anyone. I know you from Adam, as you know me from nobody. You come here, spewing out claims that you only hear in the news. I'll tell you what. Not everyone participates in polls. You only are making false accusations. People that critsize my President, is not the majority as you like to think. This world is much bigger then any news poll. So, I'll tell you what, get off your high horse, and stop bashing President Bush, for doing such a great job. Why don't you get a life. I picture a person like you standing in front of a US Army recruiting office, with a sign, "PEACE NOT WAR" and people like you have no control whatsoever on any military action President Bush chooses to use.

I can't wait till you respond.

Your such a joke. No wonder I'm fed up with people like you. You try pushing your views on the world.

It has never, and will never ever work.

In my eyes, your the problem.

[world-view]

OBL is or was a vile murderer...

Doctorgraz for every American calling OBL a "vile murderer" there are many more non-Americans who can justifiably say the same of Bush. If the best we can do is be better at killing others than they are at killing us then we are doomed. Such thinking is inevitably self-destructive.

[doctorgraz]

Hey Abbgina ! You should be a fiction novelist. OBL knew nothing about 9/11 ? What a crock !!!!

[doctorgraz]

You are all wet World-View. OBL is or was a vile murderer who justified doing so as the will of Allah to foster his own personal ambitions for power. What a distorted creep !!!

[abbgina]

I hope he is not; in 2001 when the press cried for more videos in December and rumors surfaced that he might be dead, he said "our silence is our greatest propaganda" and he was quiet. He quietly made his way out of the madness at Tora Bora to continue his quest as a messenger of Islam. Those who don't know who he really is should read his words in his Letter To America at www.obs.gov.co.uk/worldview/story/0,11581,845725,00.html. It was published in the observer in London back in November 2002. In it are his feelings, his dreams, his grievances. It might also surprise you to know in his own interviews that HE gave 9.13.01 in the Afghan Islamic Press, 9.28.01 in Ummah News to his biographer Hamid Mir, he said he did not do 9.11 attacks. You probably never heard that. He was set up by the intelligence agencies and several governments.

[doctorgraz]

Let us not bring in the noble dog into these conversations. When it's my turn, I should die like my dog did a few months ago....with all who loved her around.

[stopwhining4]

Why is it all the bleeding heart liberals turn a simple comment page into a cry factory? They asked a simple question. Every opportunity they get, they try to turn it into whinefest...GROW UP !!!! So what if you lost in the last election, get over it...you should have campaigned harder. No I'm not a supporter of any political party. If you don't like things the way they are, do something about it. Join your local political party and ACTIVELY support them. Or leave the country if you don't like it. But quit your cryin'. It's very "Old Hat" and most people really dont want to hear your "Lame" Opinion. Geesh!!!!