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WASHINGTON — It was easier to capture Saddam Hussein alive than it would be to catch the Bush administration's No. 1 fugitive, Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials said Sunday.
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Bin Laden and top aide Ayman Zawahiri are believed to be hiding high in the mountains that form the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, probably in caves and tunnels. The region's topography, high altitude and rocky landscape make it almost impossible for U.S. forces to maneuver, even if they had the cooperation of tribal elders who traditionally have been loyal to Bin Laden, the officials said.
The area is so vast that even the most advanced satellite reconnaissance technology is of little help, the U.S. officials added.
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Bin Laden is believed to be so secure in the loyalty of his lieutenants that he has continued to help run the Al Qaeda organization from his remote location, and has even issued statements reiterating his calls for all Muslims to join in the fight against U.S. forces in Iraq. In the most recent videotape available, Bin Laden looked rested and relaxed as he and Zawahiri walked peacefully down a mountain path.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fg-binladen15dec15,1,529138.story?coll=la-home-headlines