Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf says Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden is alive and probably living in the rugged mountains bordering Afghanistan.

Speaking during a three-day visit to Australia to promote counter-terrorism cooperation and increased trade, Musharraf said on Tuesday Pakistan had suffered 250 casualties in fighting bin Laden's Al-Qaeda and other militant groups in its western tribal regions.

Musharraf said bin Laden is alive because various Al-Qaeda operatives disclosed the information during interrogations.

But Musharraf also said the interrogation of an alleged al-Qaida kingpin has not provided information of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts.

Abu Farraj al-Libbi, al-Qaida's alleged number three, who has been handed to US interrogators, has not provided sufficient information for searching the al-Qaeda leader, said Musharraf.

"No he didn't give any information, and he still hasn't. But he did divulge a lot of information which led to the arrest and apprehension of, I think, 14 other individuals."

Despite being Pakistan's most wanted man, al-Libbi was recently deported to the US. It is believed that he may give the whereabouts of bin Laden, who is thought to be hiding near the Pakistan-Afghan border.

Al-Libbi was captured after a shootout with Pakistani agents in the country's northwest in May.

He is suspected to have planned two bombings that nearly killed Musharraf in 2003 and a suicide attack aimed at Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz last year.

Musharraf is expected to sign an agreement on counter-terrorism cooperation during a meeting with Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Wednesday. He will leave Australia on Thursday to visit New Zealand.

(CRI.com June 15, 2005)