CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: For the latest on the search for bin Laden, here is CNN's John Vause in Kabul, Afghanistan.</s>JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): These new reports about Osama bin Laden's whereabouts are coming from the defense spokesman here in Kabul. Mohammad Abeel says he is convinced that Osama bin Laden is in fact in Pakistan, under the protection of the JUI Islamic religious party. He could be in the northwest frontier province, one of the strongholds for the JUI party. The other area, Balochistan province, another stronghold for the JUI Islamic party. Both are very close to the Afghanistan border. For its part, the leader of the JUI party, Maulana Fazulur Rehman, says he has no idea where bin Laden is. He says, quote, "If you need to know where bin Laden is, ask the new government in Afghanistan." Well, the new interim leader, Hamid Karzai, was out at a hospital in Kabul. And when asked if he knew where bin Laden was, this is what he said.</s>HAMID KARZAI, INTERIM AFGHAN LEADER: With regard to Osama bin Laden, I don't know where he is. We received reports now and then that he may be here or there. And if we get a detailed report about his whereabouts, we are certain to go after him too and arrest him.</s>VAUSE: The JUI party says it has no idea where bin Laden is, no connections to bin Laden, although it does admit that it was very supportive and very pro-Taliban, organizing some very large demonstrations across Pakistan when the U.S.-led bombing campaign began in Afghanistan on October 7. Still, the defense ministry spokesman, Mohammad Abeel, is adamant that bin Laden is, in fact, in Pakistan, although he's refusing to tell CNN where he is getting that information from. John Vause, CNN, kabul.
Afghanistan Spokesman Claims Osama bin Laden in Pakistan