Editor: Bin Laden alive and in command

Abdel Bari Atwan

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The editor of a London-based Arabic language daily newspaper Sunday repeated his claim that Osama bin Laden is alive and added that he is now back in charge of the al Qaeda terrorist network.

Abdel Bari Atwan, editor of Al-Quds, told ABC's "This Week" he has not seen bin Laden and has no physical evidence the al Qaeda leader is alive. But "sources told me that he's alive" and that "he is in command," Atwan said.

In July, Atwan told CNN sources told him bin Laden was wounded in the bombing of Tora Bora and had shrapnel in his left shoulder.

"He was injured and he was a subject to a surgery, and the shrapnel was removed from his left shoulder, and he is now perfectly well," Atwan said.

MORE STORIES CNN Access: Atwan says bin Laden alive     CNN.COM SPECIAL REPORT  CNN NewsPass Video  Agencies reportedly got hijack tips in 1998  MORE STORIES Intelligence intercept led to Buffalo suspects Report cites warnings before 9/11  EXTRA INFORMATION Timeline: Who Knew What and When? Interactive: Terror Investigation Terror Warnings System Most wanted terrorists What looks suspicious? In-Depth: America Remembers In-Depth: Terror on Tape In-Depth: How prepared is your city?  RESOURCES On the Scene: Barbara Starr: Al Qaeda hunt expands? On the Scene: Peter Bergen: Getting al Qaeda to talk

Atwan told ABC he believes bin Laden is alive because "it is un-Islamic not to declare his death if he's dead."

And, Atwan said, al Qaeda has issued lists of its members who have been killed and the lists have not included bin Laden.

There has not been a videotape of bin Laden recently because "he is waiting for the right moment," Atwan said.

"He was criticized heavily by other Islamic organizations that he's a man who is saying a lot of things and when it comes to delivery, he doesn't deliver," Atwan said.

"So he would like to come out when he does something, or his organization actually carries out an attack, and after that maybe he will come out with a tape ... to prove that he is really behind that."

In the July interview, Atwan said he had not seen bin Laden and did not know where his is.

"I don't think anybody knows, actually, where he is. Maybe if an American with the latest equipment, with, you know, the best of communications and the best spying warplanes, they cannot spot him. Do you think you know who would be able to do so?" he said.