Osama bin Laden Died of Typhoid, French Newspaper Says

PanARMENIAN.Net - Speculation is rife among international intelligence services that top Al Qaeda terrorist, Osama bin Laden, may be dead. The French regional daily L'Est Republicain reported on its website on Saturday that Saudi Arabia's intelligence service had determined bin Laden had died of typhoid in Pakistan last month. The newspaper said it based its information on a classified document originating in the French DGSE intelligence service. The document said that bin Laden's geographical isolation had rendered medical assistance impossible. It also stated that the Saudis were waiting for more details before making an official announcement. According to the newspaper, the DGSE found the Saudi report sufficiently credible to have it relayed to French President Jacques Chirac. The French Defence Ministry said on Saturday the report could not be confirmed and it would launch an inquiry into the leak.