Squeezed out of sanctuaries elsewhere in the world, Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida terror group may be looking to the deserts and jungles of Africa as a haven to train recruits and plan new attacks, the deputy head of US forces in Europe says.

A Saudi Arabian officials says his country has rejected a US request to use its air bases for an offensive against terrorism, apparently due to concern about possible strikes on a fellow Arab state.