EN
18 February 2002 - 19:17 AMT

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER THINKS USAMA BIN LADEN MIGHT BE IN CAUCASUS

It is possible that Usama bin Laden is in hiding in the North Caucasus among Chechen terrorists. Today Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov stated this at the joint press conference with Yuber Vedrin. Ivanov noted that he had information about attempts of Arab mercenaries to leave Afghanistan for Chechnya. It should be reminded that according to «Daily Telegraph» British newspaper, after collapse of military base in Tora-Bora, top terrorist Usama bin Laden left for the north of Iran that is populated by Azerbaijanis and then he left it for Azerbaijan and further to Chechnia.