Fed: PM says he wants to see Osama dead or captured

AAP General News (Australia)
04-24-2006
Fed: PM says he wants to see Osama dead or captured

NOWRA, NSW April 24 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard says he wants to see Osama bin
Laden captured or dead.

Mr Howard said the release of a new tape from the al-Qaeda chief served as a reminder
of the evils of terrorism.

"Well, I'd like to see him either in captivity or deceased of course," the prime minister
told reporters in Nowra, on the NSW South Coast.

"But he's been around now for quite a number of years since the attack in September
of 2001 and I think the important thing is to maintain the fight against terrorism, not
to give up, not to in any way be intimidated by something like that."

Mr Howard said the fact some groups bin Laden referred to had distanced themselves
from him showed he did not represent the "decent mainstream of Islam".

"He is a terrorist and an enemy of freedom-loving people, whether they are Christian,
Islamic or some other belief," he said.

AAP str/hn/sco/sd

KEYWORD: TERROR BINLADEN HOWARD

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