al Qaeda safe haven in Pakistan ''troubling''

WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) President George W Bush said today he was troubled by a US intelligence report's finding that al Qaeda had become entrenched in a safe haven in Pakistan's tribal region near Afghanistan.

But Bush offered support for embattled Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, saying he believes Musharraf was committed to fighting al Qaeda and Taliban militants.

A portion of the National Intelligence Estimate made public this week found a ''persistent and evolving'' threat to the United States from Islamic militant groups, especially Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda.

In his weekly radio address, Bush said the report's assessment that al Qaeda was gaining strengthen in the tribal region of Pakistan was ''one of the most troubling.'' The White House has acknowledged that a truce Musharraf had reached last September with the tribal leaders had not worked and Bush said the leaders proved unwilling or unable to police the area themselves.

''President Musharraf recognizes the agreement has not been successful or well-enforced and is taking active steps to correct,'' Bush said.

Pakistani forces are in the fight against militants and the United States supports them, Bush said, adding, ''We will work with our partners to deny safe haven to the Taliban and al Qaeda in Pakistan - or anywhere else in the world.'' BLOWS TO MUSHARRAF Musharraf faces a political crisis at home amid waves of violence that erupted after government forces stormed an Islamabad mosque earlier this month to end a siege by militants.

The North Waziristan area near the Afghan border is believed to be a hotbed of al Qaeda and Taliban activity and US officials say bin Laden and other top al Qaeda leaders are hiding there.

The United States has been pressing the Pakistan government to do more to curb al Qaeda activities in the border area and has not ruled out U.S. strikes.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry says only its own troops can carry out counter-terrorism actions on its soil.

US forces in Afghanistan have carried out strikes in Pakistan, often using missile-carrying Predator drone aircraft, without confirming them so as not to embarrass Musharraf, whom the Bush administration considers an important ally.

In the aftermath of Sept 11, Bush has sought make the fight against terrorism a defining issue of his presidency.

''As time goes by, it can be tempting to think that the threat of another attack on our homeland is behind us,'' Bush said. ''The NIE report makes clear that the threat is not behind us.'' Democrats seized on the intelligence report as evidence that the Iraq war has diverted resources away from the fight against al Qaeda, and they criticized the Republican president for failing to catch bin Laden.

REUTERS GP KP1710