ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Wednesday he doubts Osama bin Laden is in a position to lead al-Qaida's global operations.
Rumsfeld, en route to Pakistan, told journalists that bin Laden could be hiding somewhere on the Afghan-Pakistan border, the BBC reported Wednesday.
"I suspect ... if he's alive and functioning, that he's probably spending a major fraction of his time trying to avoid getting caught," Rumsfeld said.
"I think it is interesting that we haven't heard from him for close to a year," Rumsfeld said.
"I have trouble believing he is able to operate sufficiently to be in a position of major command over a worldwide al-Qaida operation, but I could be wrong."
He said the search for the Saudi-born bin Laden would continue.
U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker said last week he thought al-Qaida was in serious trouble.
U.S. officials maintain that the war on terrorism has disrupted communications between the main al-Qaida leadership and its scattered members.
