'Capturing Osama no mean task'

By George Chakko

VIENNA, OCT. 13. Rheinhold Messner, the man who climbed Mount Everest without an oxygen mask, told the Austrian daily Salzburger Nachrichten in an interview just before the American strikes were launched in Afghanistan that he was sceptical that Osama bin Laden would ever be captured given the highly dangerous nature of the Afghan mountain turf.

The only possibility, if ever, would be the oppressive reality of the Hindukush mountains where survival chances became zero once life- sustaining supply lines get cut off, said Mr. Messner.

None could challenge Mr. Rheinhold Messner, who has had first- hand experience in the extreme conditions of the Hindukush ranges. He has often been in the Taliban's homeland on expeditions, combing deep valleys, gorges and high peaks. Mr. Messner, who has scaled almost all the high peaks in the world, including the Himalayas without oxygen, knows well the rocky terrain of Afghanistan, the 320 km broad high ranges stretching from North to South Asia with peaks rising to 7,600 metres. ``There soars all of a sudden the colossal (mountains) like a steep wall from 1000m to 6000m and more. Deep gorges, fissured rocky masses, caverns, canyons... If you were to put me there tomorrow, I can cover a thousand kilometres and no military power in the world can ferret me out that lightly,'' he told the daily.

Mr. Messner said he believed with the customary reconnaissance means, it was difficult to track down a small group confined to a spot in this region. The one weak point of a hidden group in Hindukush is the food supply. Water is a rare commodity. Without supply no one can survive there. He said as long as people supplied Bin Laden with food, he cannot be caught. Mr. Messner said he had no doubt that Bin Laden's men were tough. ``You find excellent (able) people there. They can guide a person through 6000m high passes with little problem.''

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Section  : International
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