TOKYO, Dec 22: President Gen Pervez Musharraf was quoted on Saturday as saying there is a strong possibility that Osama bin Laden is already dead.

In an interview reported on China state television’s website, Gen Musharraf said the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan was being closely watched and that Osama might well have died in caves around Tora Bora, hit by repeated US air raids.

“Because of the bombing of the caves he is very possibly dead,” Gen Musharraf said. The CCTV website was monitored in Tokyo.—Reuters