Bin Laden 'cut off from al-Qaeda'

The CIA says Osama Bin Laden is isolated from the day-to-day operations of al-Qaeda, but that the organisation is still the greatest threat to the US.
CIA director Michael Hayden said the Saudi militant was probably hiding in the tribal area of north-west Pakistan.



Gen Hayden said that Bin Laden was "putting a lot of energy into his own survival" and that his capture remained the US government's top priority.
But he warned that al-Qaeda continued to grow in Africa and the Middle East.
In a speech to the Atlantic Council on Thursday, Gen Hayden said: "[Bin Laden] is putting a lot of energy into his own survival, a lot of energy into his own security."
In fact, he appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organisation he nominally heads."

However, Gen Hayden added: "If there is a major strike on this country, it will bear the fingerprints of al-Qaeda."