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Iranian security forces have detained at least one of Osama bin Laden's sons, along with several hundred people suspected of having links to the al-Qaeda terror organisation. The captures happened on Iranian territory after they fled Afghanistan, according to an Iranian official.

He declined to give any details of the son's identity and said he could not confirm reports that one of Mr bin Laden's wives had also been detained in Iran.

Another official, who asked not to be identified, said Mr bin Laden's son was handed over to the Pakistani authorities.

The White House declined to comment on Sunday on the revelations. "I'm aware of the reports," said Ari Flesicher, White House spokesman. "We are looking into it. At this point, I can't go beyond that."

Iran's government believes the al-Qaeda leader is dead, the official added. Mr bin Laden is reported to have married four women and fathered more than 20 children.

Abdullah Ramezanzadeh, the Iranian government spokesman, said that about two months ago about 20 people suspected by Tehran of having links with al-Qaeda crossed Iran's eastern borders.

"Since they were not holding ID cards we repatriated them to the country they were coming from," Mr Ramezanzadeh said. He added that it was discovered later that one of them was a son of bin Laden. But there were no women among them.

Kamal Kharrazi, Iran's foreign minister, said this week that Iran had detained about 250 people linked to al-Qaeda and that, in line with government policy, they had all been returned to their home countries. Diplomats believe the number is much higher, however. One European diplomat said some 350 suspects had been sent to Saudi Arabia alone.

Early this year, Iran denied accusations by the US that it was harbouring al-Qaeda fugitives and said none had entered Iran.

Officials later admitted that some had managed to cross the long and uncontrolled border with Pakistan and Afghanistan, but all those captured had later been deported.

These included about 20 Europeans, including wives and children of alleged al-Qaeda members.

Western governments continue to suspect, however, that elements of the Iranian regime were harbouring al-Qaeda fugitives, for reasons of ideology or money.

Mr bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network are blamed for last year's September 11 attacks on the US and a series of attacks on US and western targets.

One of Mr bin Laden's oldest children, Saad bin Laden, who is about 22, has emerged as an al-Qaeda leader and is one of the US's top two dozen targets in the network.

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