Prime minister - Terrorism 'largely defeated' in Afghanistan

Associated Press WriterKABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Less than three months after the U.S.-led coalition began military strikes, Afghanistan's interim prime minister said Wednesday that terrorism has been "largely" beaten in his war-wrecked country.

"Some may be still here, but I don't think they are in large numbers. I think that terrorism is largely defeated in Afghanistan," Hamid Karzai told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Wednesday -- four days after he assumed power.

Still at large are individuals, like Osama bin Laden, leader of the al-Qaida terror network blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, and Mullah Mohammed Omar, the secretive leader of the hard-line Islamic Taliban movement, which was pounded into defeat by U.S.-led airstrikes.

"There are remnants in the form of individuals or small groups. Those should be looked for and arrested and put to trial," Karzai said.

"With regards to Osama bin Laden I don't know where he is," Karzai said. "We receive reports now and then that he may be here or there, and if we get a detailed report about his whereabouts, we will certainly go after him and arrest him."

Despite his optimistic assessment, Karzai said the war is not yet over. There is still a need for U.S.-led coalition troops in Afghanistan and airstrikes on suspected mountain hide-outs.

"They need to fight terrorism right now physically inside Afghanistan, to bring them out of their hide-outs and to deliver them to justice, to international justice and to Afghan justice," he said.

Although he couldn't say where Omar was hiding, Karzai believed he was still in Afghanistan. Karzai receives regular reports from southwest Afghanistan that Omar is in the area. He has asked his loyalists to fan out across that area to hunt him down and arrest him.

There have been reports that Omar hiding in the snowy peaks of Helmand province, northwest of Kandahar, the spiritual heart of the Taliban until it fell to anti-Taliban forces earlier this month.

"We will look for him, and if we find where he is, we will definitely arrest him," said Karzai.