Material Found Near U.S. Missile Attack

Feb. 10 -- U.S. forces searching the remote scene of a U.S. missile attack Monday in eastern Afghanistan have found "biological material," which might possibly include human remains, ABCNEWS has learned.

Among the U.S. forces are forensics experts, and American officials are hopeful they will find biological matter suitable for DNA and other analysis so that it can be determined if those killed belonged to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network — and if so, who they were.

On Monday, a remote-controlled U.S. Predator spy plane fired two Hellfire missiles at a group of heavily guarded men gathered near a truck in the remote area who were believed to be high-ranking members of al Qaeda.

Bad weather and the inaccessible terrain of the area has caused delays in a U.S. investigation of the attack. Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told a Penatgon briefing Friday that more than 50 personnel had finally arrived to "exploit any intelligence that can be gathered at the site," near Zawar Kili, but officials said Saturday that bad weather again was impeding operations.

Because of their mode of transport, the presence of heavy security, and the fact that the men were in Arab-style dress, U.S. officials believe the men were members of bin Laden's Arab-dominated organization.

Because one of the men was unusually tall, there was also some speculation that bin Laden himself may have been killed. Bin Laden is believed to be about 6 feet 4 inches tall.

U.S. intelligence sources have collected some DNA material from thebin Laden family, which might help to identify bin Laden or other close relatives.

But at Friday's Pentagon briefing, Myers and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said they did not know if bin Laden had been one of the targets in the attack.

"The strike was on some individuals. Who is to be determined," Myers said. "That's what they're gathering the intelligence on."

Wazir Khan, a brother of regional warlord Bacha Khan, told The Associated Press seven people were killed in the attack, but Osama bin Laden "is not among those people."