Based on a Saudi Arabian intelligence note, a French newspaper on Saturday claimed that international terrorist Osama bin Laden died in Pakistan due to typhoid early this month.

The newspaper, l'Est Republicain, published a report allegedly of the country's intelligence services that said Saudi Arabia believes bin Laden is dead.

The French intelligence service refused to confirm the report, and no immediate official reaction was forthcoming from Saudi officials.

United States sources, though, denied that bin Laden is dead.

L'Est Republicain said the Saudis were 'waiting to obtain further details and notably the exact place of burial before

officially announcing the news'.

French President Jacques Chirac said the report was 'in no way confirmed'.