RIYADH, Nov 21: Osama bin Laden has told aides to kill him before he is captured by American troops, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.
And the Saudi-born radical has left a will on videotape urging more attacks on US interests, Al-Watan newspaper said.
“Osama bin Laden has informed a number of people close and dedicated to him that he was living his last weeks or days,” the daily said, quoting “highly informed US and European diplomatic sources” in Paris.
“He refuses to allow Americans, or members of the Afghan Northern Alliance, to kill him, and also refuses to be taken prisoner by them because that will be a major defeat for him.
“So, Osama bin Laden has instructed those aides who remain with him until the end to shoot him if he is surrounded by US special forces or the Northern Alliance, and there is no escape,” the Arabic daily added.
Osama has asked those aides to swear before him they would abide by these instructions and they did, the paper said.
“Osama bin Laden has even asked one of his sons to shoot him instead of being captured by the Americans or Afghan opposition. He believes that it’s better to die at the hands of his aides or his sons, rather than being captured by his enemies.”
He had recorded his political “will”, or last testament on a videotape, which is to be broadcast after his death. In the tape, Osama bin Laden urges more strikes on US interests everywhere, Al-Watan said.
The information, which could not be independently confirmed, was reportedly received by the US administration in recent days after the debriefing of a number of military and security officials who have defected from the Taliban militia.
Al-Watan said that according to the information obtained by the United States, Osama is most probably hiding along with a small group of his followers and family members in the mountains around the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar.
He has prepared a number of mountain hideouts and equipped them to survive for several months, the paper said.
Al-Watan said that for Washington it was “much more appropriate” to have Osama dead, rather than capture him alive and have to put him on trial.—AFP