Bin Laden 'met nuclear scientists'

There are claims Osama bin Laden met with two retired nuclear scientists, who were recently arrested and questioned over their work in Afghanistan.

Pakistani investigators say the scientists have acknowledged they met bin Laden at least twice this year.

Sultan Bashir-ud-Din Mehmood and Abdul Majid left the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission about two years ago to undertake aid work in Afghanistan.

A Pakistani official says the men met bin Laden at least twice during visits to Kandahar in connection with the construction of a flour mill.

Mehmood heads Tameer-e-Ummah, or the Nation Building, a private group attempting to rehabilitate Afghanistan. Majid also worked for the aid group.

The scientists were arrested October 23 and questioned about their work in Afghanistan. They were released after a few days in detention, only to be rearrested a couple of days later.

They were questioned by both Pakistani and US investigators, the Pakistani official said.