LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. government is asking the bin Laden family to provide DNA samples. Now this suggests, that at the very least, the Bush team believes the terror mastermind could be dead in a U.S. strike. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. She joins us now with the latest on this angle. Good morning, Barbara.</s>BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Leon. Well, CNN has learned that in the last several days, the United States has approached members of the bin Laden family, and asked them for DNA samples. Now what -- the reason the U.S. wants them, is of course that military members several days ago collected human remains from that CIA missile strike in eastern Afghanistan in which three men were killed. One of those men was said to be taller, dressed in white robes and shown a great deal of deference by the other two. There was no particular reason to believe that bin Laden was that third man. But U.S. officials want to rule it out definitively. And the only way they can do it is to get DNA samples from the family and then have them matched against the human remains, which are currently being assessed by military pathologist. There is no word back from the bin Laden family just yet on whether they will agree to the U.S. request -- Leon.</s>HARRIS: All right, Barbara, thank you very much. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon this morning. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com provide DNA samples.>
U.S. Government Asking Bin Laden Family to Provide DNA Samples