The US Senate Friday doubled the bounty on the head of Al Qaeda Osama Bin Laden, offering $50 million for his capture or death.

The vote followed a flurry of reports that the group behind the September 11 attacks in 2001 had rebuilt much of its capacity to train and plot terror strikes and was again trying to sneak operatives into the United States.

The bill, boosting the price on Bin Laden's head under the US State Department Rewards for Justice Program, passed by an 87-1 vote.

It directs Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "to authorize a reward of $50 million for the capture or death or information leading to the capture or death of Osama Bin Laden."

North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan, who wrote the amendment to a defense policy bill, said "it has been six years, and Al Qaeda is now rebuilding its training camps, in a safe harbor.

"It has been six years and they are reconstituting their ability to attack us," he said.

Güncelleme Tarihi: 13 Temmuz 2007, 19:40