KANDAHAR: Indian intelligence agencies feel the region in and around this Taliban stronghold is the most probable location of bin Laden. They believe he should be in the vicinity of Spin Buldak that leads to Pakistan's Chaman area through the famed Khojak Pass.

ORUZGAN, PAKTIA AND PAKTIKA PROVINCES: Famed for cave hideouts and miles of tunnels, these Afghan mountain provinces provided shelter to bin Laden till the Northern Alliance virtually swept the northern parts of the country.

PAKISTAN-OCCUPIED KASHMIR: The possibility of bin Laden taking shelter in the Karakoram ranges is extremely remote, even though he has helicopters and aircraft at his disposal. This is because the US is closely monitoring the air traffic and has pressed in dedicated satellites to spot bin Laden.

FERGHANA VALLEY: Stronghold of bin Laden's lieutenant Jumma Namangani. Aware that bin Laden could exploit Afghanistan's porous borders with Tajikistan to enter the lush Ferghana Valley, Russia has already placed its crack 201 motorised division on alert.

Shishir Gupta

ENDGAME FOR AL QAIDA

. USA:Has frozen assets worth $24 million of organisations linked to the Al Qaida and the Taliban regime.
. Carry on the promised war against terrorism beyond the death or capture of bin Laden.
.BRITAIN: Arrested key Al Qaida associates in the September 11 plot. Legislation to choke the group's funding.
.Has to shed image of being terrorist haven. Needs to curb the export of fresh Al Qaida recruits.

.GERMANY: Coordinated with the French and Italian police to arrest five suspected Al Qaida operatives.
. Needs to prevent itself from becoming a base for Al Qaida's operations.
.FRANCE: Arrests of Al Qaida members. Has frozen accounts of organisations linked
to the Al Qaida.
.Increase surveillance of Arab and North African populations.
.SOUTH AMERICA: Nineteen persons with links to the Al Qaida have been arrested.
.Must stop itself from becoming a major transit and cash source for Al Qaida cells.
.EGYPT: Is putting on trial over 250 members of Islamic groups linked to the Al Qaida.
.Avoid becoming the breeding ground of Islamic terrorism. Curbs on groups allied to the Al Qaida.
.SAUDI ARABIA: Has begun a long overdue crackdown on the sympathisers of the Al Qaida.
.The major cash pipeline which sustains the Al Qaida is believed to originate here. Needs to be cut off.
.AFGHANISTAN: US strikes have killed Al Qaida leaders, destroyed training camps which churned out about 20,000 recruits.
.Get bin Laden and his inner terror circle, including aides like Ayman al-Zawahiri.
.PAKISTAN: Has done little apart from detaining protesters and nuclear scientists with links to the Al Qaida.
.Crackdown on ISI links with the Al Qaida. Prevent the dislodged organisation from taking root in the country.
.PHILIPPINES: Has begun a crackdown on the Abu Sayyaf, a radical Islamic terrorist group closely allied to the Al Qaida.
.Prevent recruitment to and contain the spread of the Abu Sayyaf movement in southern Philippines.
.INDONESIA: Government agrees to freeze assets of organisations linked to the Al Qaida.
.Crack down on radical groups like the Lashkar Jihad which has ties with the Al Qaida.