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Osama bin Laden turns 50

AlJazeera, March 10 - Osama Bin Laden is turning 50 a free man.

Despite the biggest manhunt ever launched, it is thought he is holed-up somewhere in the tribal lands straddling Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Mullah Hayatullah Khan, a Taliban spokesman, told Reuters: "He is alive. I am 100 per cent sure." He said senior leaders were in touch with bin Laden.

The spokesman said special prayers were offered by Taliban fighters in camps in Afghanistan.

Khan said: "We prayed that Allah may give him 200 years to live. When we woke up today, we offered collective and long prayers for him."

The most recent videotape of bin Laden was released in late 2004 - subsequent tapes released were identified as old footage - and around half a dozen audio tapes surfaced in the first half of 2006.

But a long silence since afterwards has fuelled rumours that bin Laden is unwell, or dead, though the US fears that the al-Qaeda network he founded is rebuilding its base in Pakistani tribal lands, and has forged ties with affiliates in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

And the world's most wanted "terrorist" comes with a $25m price on his head. more..

Labels: Afghanistan, Luar Negeri, Osama