Iran denies it's arrested bin Laden

The Australian | February 22 2005

IRAN today denied suggestions on some local internet sites that it arrested al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, the Western world's most wanted man, on the border with Pakistan.

"This information is wrong and bin Laden has not been arrested by our security forces," government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh said at a weekly press briefing.

Some Iranian internet sites quoted American officials as saying the al-Qaeda leader, who has a $US25 million ($31.67 million) bounty on his head, had been arrested two weeks ago by Iranian forces.

The Saudi-born militant is blamed for the September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes on the United States and a string of other attacks around the world.