Pubdate: Wed, 5 May 1999 Source: ITAR-TASS (Russia) Copyright: 1999 ITAR-TASS. US DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF KLA'S LINKS WITH BIN LADEN, DRUGS. WASHINGTON, May 6 (Itar-Tass) - The United States has no credible information to suggest that the Kosovo Liberation Army, or KLA, has direct contacts with Usama bin Laden or other international terrrorists, a US State Department official told Itar-Tass on Wednesday. The diplomat, who preferred anonymity, laid out the US administration's official stance in a comment on reports of US media to the effect that the KLA gets financial and military assistance from the radical Islamic group Al Kadar. The group was set up by Usama bin Laden, "international terrorist number one", who is seen bu the United States as a key mastermind behind two bomb attacks of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in August. The Washington Times cited the US intelligence's documents saying that some of the KLA's guerrillas had been trained at Al Kadar camps in Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia and other Moslem countries. The State Department official said this information lacked proof, but he did not dismissed it outright. He said the State Department knew that KLA fighters were trained in Albania and that a number of them were said to be taught guerrilla war in Afghanistan, but these reports cannot be confirmed, although they cannot be dismissed altogether. The diplomat said the US administration does not have information that the KLA runs drugs. Media reports said Kosovo separatists use proceeds from herion and cocaine trade to buy arms for operations against the Yugoslav army. The State Department official said a major part of drugs had been admittedly reaching Western Europe through the Balkan route, but the involvement of the KLA in it is uncertain. He said publications about this were only suggestions. - --- MAP posted-by: Patrick Henry