Clinton 'okayed action against bin Laden’

President Bill Clinton signed a secret directive in 1998 authorizing US efforts to capture or disrupt Osama bin Laden and his terrorism network, and several unsuccessful attempts were made, a person familiar with the effort revealed yesterday.

Non-Americans in Afghanistan, promised a bounty if they succeeded, had an ‘‘active, constant and unsuccessful effort to capture bin Laden or take him out’’, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity. ‘‘There were several attempts.’’