The French defense ministry on Saturday called for an internal investigation of the leak of an intelligence report that raises the possibility that Osama bin Laden may have died of typhoid in Pakistan a month ago but said the report of the death remained unverified.
"The information defused this morning by the l'Est Republicain newspaper concerning the possible death of Osama bin Laden cannot be confirmed," a Defense Ministry statement said, according to the AP.
The daily for the Lorraine region in eastern France printed what it described as a confidential memo from the French foreign intelligence service DGSE citing an uncorroborated report from Saudi secret services that the leader of al-Qaeda network had died.
The contents of the document, dated Sept. 21, or Thursday, were not confirmed by French or other intelligence sources. However, the DGSE transmitted the note to President Jacques Chirac and other officials, the newspaper conveyed.
French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie "has demanded an investigation be carried out of this leak," a ministry statement said, adding that transmission of the confidential document could risk punishment.
Defense Ministry spokesman Jean-Francois Bureau said that the DGSE document exists but that its contents - that bin Laden is allegedly dead - cannot be confirmed. The DGSE said indicated that its information came from a single source. "According to a reliable source, Saudi security services are now convinced that Osama bin Laden is dead," said the intelligence report.
According to this document, Saudi security services were pursuing further details, notably the place of his burial. "The chief of al-Qaida was a victim of a severe typhoid crisis while in Pakistan on August 23, 2006," the document says. His geographic isolation meant that medical assistance was impossible, the French report said, adding that his lower limbs were allegedly paralyzed. On Sept. 4, Saudi security services had their first information on bin Laden's alleged death, the unconfirmed document reported.
