Osama bin Laden has aged a little since he was last seen in September 2007 but has put on little or no weight in the arid surroundings of the Afghan-Pakistani border — that, at least, is the assumption made by FBI forensic artists as the agency continues its relentless search for the al-Qaeda leader.

Digitally enhanced photographs have been released showing how he might look today; one in his traditional outfit, the other showing him with trimmed beard and Western clothing.

The ”age-progression images” were produced in the latest effiort to find the elusive al-Qaeda leader. FBI forensic artists modified bin Laden’s facial features to show what they might look like today.

“It is our hope that these digitally enhanced images will help someone recognise these terrorist suspects and then contact the Rewards for Justice program with information that leads to their apprehension,” Robert Eckert, assistant director for Diplomatic Security’s Threat Information and Analysis Directorate, said.

Bin Laden's last 30-minute video, which was itself released after an absence of three years, saw him sporting a trimmed beard rather than the straggly and seemingly unkempt appearance he seemed to be wearing in 2004.

He wore the same white turban and traditional white long-sleeved Sunni shirt that extends below the knees.

In the video, Bin Laden said the US had given President Bush "a clear mandate from you... to continue to murder our people in Iraq and Afghanistan" following his reelection for a second term. He added that events in Iraq were "out of control".

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6988983.ece