Graves in Tora Bora linked to bin Laden guards

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Originally published Wednesday, May 8, 2002

BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- Canadian troops and U.S. forensic specialists excavated 23 elaborate graves they said held the bodies of al-Qaida fighters -- believed to be Osama bin Laden's bodyguards -- who died in the bombing of the Tora Bora region.

The graves, dug into a large, terraced hill, were decorated with headstones, mounds of white pebbles, flags and brightly colored ribbons, said Capt. Philip Nicholson, one of about 400 Canadian soldiers who returned to base Tuesday after a four-day mission in eastern Afghanistan.

He said he had no indication that the al-Qaida leader was in one of the graves. Forensics experts from the Army's criminal investigation department collected DNA samples from the corpses unearthed at Ali Khayle, about 60 miles southeast of the capital, Kabul, said U.S. military spokesman Maj. Bryan Hilferty.

Canadian battalion commander Lt. Col. Pat Stogran said DNA samples had been taken from two other bodies found on a nearby mountain ridge. He said the samples would be handed over to American experts.

Bin Laden was thought to have been at Tora Bora in December during an intense U.S. bombing campaign that was backed by Afghan ground troops and U.S. special forces. It's not known if bin Laden died there or escaped.

"Certainly there was the possibility that bin Laden was among them, that's why we proceeded with the excavation," Nicholson said.

One prominent grave was initially thought to possibly be that of bin Laden, but visual inspection of the body showed it was not the al-Qaida leader.

"It was hard to identify anybody," Nicholson said, adding the bodies were badly decayed and that many had shrapnel wounds. "Osama bin Laden is approximately 6-foot-5 and we did not find anybody that was 6-foot-5. That being said, we did take DNA samples and they are going back to the United States to be analyzed."

Canadian troops found the graves when they went to Ali Khayle to search caves and bunkers and villagers told them about the bodies, Stogran said. The villagers said the graves contained the bodies of important al-Qaida members.

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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