Text of report by "DW": "Bin-Ladin is alive: Elite German soldiers are hunting for him. Scharping in conversation with Die Welt: 'We can be proud.' About 100 Bundeswehr soldiers hunting for Al-Qa'idah hiding places" by German newspaper Die Welt web site on 25 February.

Berlin: The United States is firmly convinced that the terrorist leader Usamah Bin-Ladin is alive and hiding along the Afghan border with Pakistan. The New York Times is reporting this. About 100 elite German soldiers are participating in Afghanistan in the hunt for Bin-Ladin. Units of the Special Forces Command (KSK) would be used jointly with soldiers of the allies, Federal Defence Minister Scharping said on Sunday [24 February]. He thereby confirmed press reports to the effect that KSK-forces have already been in operation against Al-Qa'idah for several weeks and together with British and American soldiers are searching for the organization's hiding places.

Scharping appeared very satisfied with the course of the operation. "Our soldiers are doing an outstanding job. We can be proud of them," he said in a conversation with Die Welt. Scharping declined to give exact information on the Bundeswehr mission. He says that he understands the public's interest but priority goes to the "security of the soldiers and their families at home". The Bundestag and the Defence Committee would be informed about the mission, however.

Nevertheless there was fierce criticism of the federal government's information policy. Paul Breuer, defence politician for the CDU [Christian Democratic Union], said that there is no reason for secrecy about the "basic information on the KSK-mission". Angelika Beer, defence expert for the Greens, proposed "regular reporting to a special body of parliament".

Scharping demanded that the further financing of the Afghanistan mission be from the overall budget when the special funding for the war against terrorism has been spent. He denied that there are already operational plans for Iraq.