Is bin Laden dead?

last updated 8 January 2015

Pakistan

After examining the latest videotape of Osama bin Laden, U.S. analysts have concluded that the al Qaida leader is probably gravely ill or even dead. The video, which shows bin Laden walking in the mountains along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, could have been made as long as two years ago, intelligence officials said. Bin Laden’s voice was apparently taped separately, also some time ago, and overlaid on the video. The only recent recording is a second audio track, of bin Laden’s top lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahiri. This has led some investigators to conclude that Zawahiri may be running al Qaida while trying to make it appear that Osama is still alive and well.