Osama alive, but not here: Pak Prez

‘‘He wouldn’t be hiding alone or with one person…he seems to be alive,’’ he said. ‘‘He would be moving with a large number of bodyguards. He can’t be in Pakistan.’’

Musharraf said Pakistani security agencies had been on to Mohammed for almost a month before arresting him and agents were following up leads on other members.

He told CNN that Mohammed had been giving ‘‘varying statements’’ about his contacts with bin Laden.

Meanwhile, Pakistani and US forces were searching for Al-Qaeda members on Friday in a mountainous area near the borders with Afghanistan and Iran amid persistent reports that bin Laden could be in the vicinity. Residents here said leaflets were dropped there on Thursday offering rewards for the capture of bin Laden and other Al-Qaeda leaders.

Mohammed’s arrest raised hopes that interrogators may get leads on the location of the world’s most-wanted man, who has evaded US forces since a US bombing campaign against Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan in 2001. (Reuters)