Rumors Swirl About Bin Laden's Health

CBS News: Arab Diplomats Discuss Reports Of Bin Laden's Death

(CBS)  Osama bin Laden's health has deteriorated in the past year, forcing him to curtail his movements, according to Arab diplomats in Pakistan who routinely track reports of his movements.

A senior source with an intelligence service friendly to the United States told CBS News that Saudi Intelligence has collected what it considers to be "very credible information" that bin Laden has been very seriously ill, and that the Saudi services are now suggesting, though not confirming, that they "have a pretty high certainty" that he is dead.

The source added that if he has died as a result of typhoid fever, which comes from exposure to contaminated water and food, it would confirm reports that he has been hiding in a remote area, under very harsh conditions with limited access to medical care.

While Pakistani officials and diplomats stationed in the country on Saturday did not confirm a report in a French regional newspaper that claimed the world's most wanted terrorist had died of typhoid earlier this month, some spoke of reports in the past year suggesting that bin Laden's health had rapidly deteriorated, prompting speculation over his remaining life expectancy.

Time Magazine also reported that bin Laden "has become seriously ill and may have already died" from a "water-borne illness."

But U.S. sources are skeptical of the reports. A senior White house official tells CBS News White House correspondent Jim Axelrod, "I wouldn't hold your breath."

When asked at the Saudi Day reception in Washington about reports that Bin Laden had died, the Saudi ambassador to the United States Prince Turki al-Faisal said, "Don't believe everything you hear on the news ... Osama Bin Laden is alive and well."

French President Jacques Chirac said, "The information is in no way whatsoever confirmed and therefore I have no comment on it."

"You should never say 'never,' but the source of the intelligence is not a very good one – Saudi intelligence can sometimes be an oxymoron," Michael Scheuer, who ran the CIA's bin Laden unit, said on the Saturday Early Show. "It almost sounds like between the French and the Saudis are trying to goad bin Laden into saying something to prove he is still alive."

Sources in the region near the Afghan-Pakistan border tell CBS News analyst Jere Van Dyk that if bin Laden were dead the West would never know it. They want to preserve the idea that Osama is alive because he is a mythical figure, as much as anything else.

One Arab diplomat who spoke to CBS News on the condition that his identity would not be revealed said there were fewer reports in 2006 of bin Laden's possible sightings around the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"In the past, sometimes with a delay of two to three days, you would
see reports which suggested he may be on the move somewhere, there have been fewer such reports this year," he said. "Does this mean, he is acutely ill, dying or has in fact died? There is no credible answer to that question. Unless there is a body, how can anyone say for sure that bin Laden is dead?"

The same diplomat said, bin Laden has had a history of illnesses that were first reported while the Taliban regime still ruled Afghanistan in 2000. One such report seen by the diplomat a year before the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, reported that bin Laden had to be hospitalized briefly in Kabul before he was brought to Pakistan for medical treatment, then believed to be a kidney-related ailment.

"If it is true that bin Laden had to have dialysis for his kidneys then — which is six years ago — his health must be far worse now. Especially the conditions that he lived in, being on the run from U.S. forces must also take its toll on him. I wouldn't be surprised if he is dead. Nobody is immortal," concluded the diplomat.

[ronniehm]

That is some really paranoid sh-t. Either do something about the voices in your head, or at least stop running the car with the garage door closed. Usama was just "living in their country?" Yeah, and Hitler was just "sightseeing in Poland." The more incredible the liberal explanations become, the more I have no choice but to believe something else. Give us a real theory backed up by some proof, not that garbage.

[sharncedar]

"but why does our government want him to remain a figure still alive?"

The best explanation for government actions is the theory of preservation of bureaucracy. Government bureaus exist to preserve their own existence. Every government employee exists to preserve their own job, is another way of saying that.

So Osama keeps the war in Iraq appearing relevant. Osama gone, why do we need a war in Iraq?

One indication that Osama may be gone, is that we are hearing so much invented news now about the "Taliban". This will be the bogeyman they use to replace Osama, I guess. Fighting the "Taliban" appears to be closely related to 9/11 to the stupid mass public, who don't get that the "Taliban" actually didn't participate in 9/11 or know about 9/11, they just let Osama live in their country, or at least didn't drive him out.

[ronniehm]

Uh huh, and Barbra Streisand will never tour again. You can't resist me.

[drgoodwin12]

to RonnieMH my absolute last words to you are,I will not argue with you.It is the equivalent of arguing with someone who listen to way too much Frank Zappa and your thoughts are as weird as Zappa's music.

[rd1963-2009]

Death couldn't have come to a better man.

[ronniehm]

No doubt you have a hilarious theory about how George Bush will construct the audio portion of the tape as well. Fooling bin laden's buddies in arabic will be quite a feat, but I heard they did something like that on Star Trek, so it must be possible.

[shameonbush]

Since there is a rumour that Bin Laden is dead, as their was in 2001, then we should be seeing another video of Bin Laden any day now. The Bush regime won't stand for a dead Bin Laden. Oh, the art of computer graphics is amazing isn't it? I wonder if Bin Laden will be wearing the same gold shawl that he has worn for the last 9 years. Amazing how it looks like new all the time, he must have several of the exact same kind in his closet. I'm waiting for the video Mr. Bush, I hope it's more amusing than the last one.

[shameonbush]

I think Bin Laden has been dead for years. I don't think the question should be whether or not he's dead, but why does our government want him to remain a figure still alive? I bet if they found Bin Laden's body, it is thoroughly decomposed. I wonder if they have some of Bin Laden's DNA to compare DNA to in case they find his corpse.

[pbowie1]

I think he's dead , even though he "resurfaces" every now and again , to prove he was alive you'd think he'd hold up a copy of a recent newspaper or something so we could actually see he's alive.
I'd like to see him killed for what he has done to us and dying of a disease is cop out-personally Id like to see him get his head lopped off like his followers have done to our people.
ps my wife says he's been dead for years but it wouldn't be good for the govt to let us know or thier war would not be sanctioned...

[drgoodwin12]

To RonnieMH ,you obviously did not read ShutupMurtha comments or cacth the implied sarcasm in his log on name Shut up Murtha referring to senator Murtha who called for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq. I better slow down and put this in a child language as you obviuosly do not understand ShutupMurtha point about us the United States being safer after 9/11 on airplanes.Is this the part that confused you where he asks if we were safer before 9/11 than we are now.I am a Democrat but not a liberal and ShutupMurtha has at least called for some intelligent dialogue instead of ranting and raving like you do.Still waiting for you to post your transcripts of a 4.0 grade average and your degree.

[patriotic9]

If we would have got Bin Laden in Tora Bora,we didn't have to waste our time guessing whether he is dead or alive.Why did we send just few thousand troops in Afghanistan where Bin Laden was at that time and sent hundreds of thousands of troops in Iraq which has nothing to do with 9/11.Because according to Radical Christianity,Afghanistan is not the place which has anything to do with second coming of Christ.These Radical christians don't care about US intrest at all but only care about their Radical,backward non sense view which goes against the constitution whcih separates church from state.

[sfcrdf]

I do hope he IS dead. Maybe then we can focus on some of the other terrorists bent on killing us and we should not forget about the communists like the ones in Cuba and Venzuela who would like to see our country dismantled. All I am saying is that the liberals will want to make political hay out of it because they hate President Bush so much. It is the liberal party in decline and for that I am glad! President Bush has the gumption to stand up and never give in and that is why we are safer. Maybe not safe but safer. Clinton was and is so afraid of his "image" that he tried to lead by consensus - - very dangerous indeed.

[sfcrdf]

Well SutupMurtha you certainly appear to be right in the middle of all the liberals that I would expect to see here at CBS. I am on your side. If there is any ploy to be had here it is with the liberals as they desperately want Bin Laden out of the mix right now before the November election. Good for you!!

[suzanneja]

"We intelligent people..."? Ah, that shows what your mentality really is.

[sfcrdf]

LOL Sounds like a liberal ploy to defuse this as a political hot potato. Seems strange that rumors like this are getting started six weeks before the upcoming election. I expect a lot more rumors and trail ballons in the next six weeks.

[ronniehm]

Well, nothing like proving a theory by stringing together 15 theories that mainly rely on your ability to read minds.

[sharncedar]

This is the Bush clowns worst nightmare. By leaving Osama Bin Laden out there, they were able to keep the hype up about the "Islamo-fascists" and keep their ignorant followers confused about the IRaq war that it was somehow related to Osama Bin Laden. If he is dead, what bogeyman to use to justify outrages and freedom here at home, and the endless war and casualites? As body bags come home, how can they pretend it is about anything more than Bush/Cheney's horrible blunder?

We intelligent people often forget how confused Bush's hypotized followers are about whether Iraq is releated to Osam Bin Laden. The one thing the American Fascist Party (neo-Republicans) don't do is overestimate the attention span or knowledge of their constituents.

Hence why great pains taken to keep OBL alive these 5 years.

[tomflint69]

Haaa haaaa haaa heee heeee heeeee
I 100% agree with nonpalindrom.
all ppl please read his comments.

[afroburner]

Approval ratings are up 5% over last month.

[hsjamsir-2009]

I am not really sure about that info.
However, it will be hot news.
Just wait and see