Bin Laden May Escape With Aid of Tunnels

N E W   Y O R K, Sept. 20 -- The effort to catch Osama bin Laden, the suspected mastermind of last week's attacks on New York and Washington, is not only expected to take his pursuers to the other side of the world, but into the bowels of the earth as well.

Much has been made of the rugged, hilly terrain of Afghanistan, but bin Laden is also expected to take advantage of the country's extensive network of tunnels, an aspect of the terrain that can further tip the scales in favor of those who know the land.

The karez, as they are called in the local language of Pashto, were originally built to give Afghans a way of preserving water during the dry seasons. They have also become a defensive asset and rampart, helping repulse invaders for hundreds of years during war times.

According to some sources, the tunnel system is larger and far more extensive than the underground networks used by the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.

"They're pretty important," said Luke Powell, a nature photographer who has worked extensively in Afghanistan. "They're a major part [of civilian and farming life] in the south."

The Taliban is also strongest in the south.

Since they are used to transport water, the karez are usually close to occupied areas, and often serve as a ready-to-use shelter for both villagers and soldiers.

"When they go underground, they're a dandy place to hide," Powell said.

An Ancient Defense System

Some historians say the karez have been in use as early as 300 B.C., when Alexander the Great went through Afghanistan.

They've been a strategic advantage for the Afghans ever since: from 1224, when Genghis Khan's Mongols invaded the country, to 20 years ago, when the Soviets did the same.

During the war with the Soviets, the underground passages allowed Afghan rebels to besiege the town of Khost for almost a decade.

Khost's defenders tried Scud missiles, carpet bombings, artillery fire, helicopter gunships, and commandos, but nothing short of nuclear weapons could drive the rebels from their positions in the surrounding mountains.