CIA Director Porter Goss says he has an "excellent idea" of where terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden is hiding, Time magazine reported Sunday.

But Goss said the al-Qaeda leader, who has so far evaded an extensive U.S.-led manhunt, cannot yet be brought to justice.

"In the chain that you need to successfully wrap up the war on terror, we have some weak links," Goss said in the interview, but would not specify where bin Laden is hiding.

"And I find that until we strengthen all the links, we're probably not going to be able to bring Mr. bin Laden to justice.

"We are making very good progress on it."

He cited some of the problems as "dealing with sanctuaries in sovereign states, you're dealing with a problem of our sense of international obligation, fair play."

Goss added, "We have to find a way to work in a conventional world in unconventional ways that are acceptable to the international community."

Goss indicated another al-Qaeda attack on the United States could happen.

"Certainly the intent is very high. And we are trying to stay ahead of their capability. And so far, I think we have done pretty well carrying the war to them, as it were," Goss said.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has said the insurgency in Iraq is in its "last throes," but Goss disputed the claim.

"I think they're not quite in the last throes, but I think they are very close to it," Goss said.

"And I think that every day that goes by in Iraq where they have their own government and it's moving forward reinforces just how radical (the insurgents) are and how unwanted they are."

Meanwhile, intelligence experts have said bin Laden is likely hiding out in the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Last week, an alleged senior commander of the ousted Taliban militia said in a television interview that bin Laden is alive and in good health.

Pakistan's Geo television broadcast the interview with a man identified as Taliban military commander Mullah Akhtar Usmani.

"Thanks be to God, he is absolutely fine," he said, but would not say where the al-Qaeda leader was hiding.

A senior journalist at the independent station said, on condition of anonymity, that the interview was held near the Afghan town of Spinboldak, which is near the Pakistani border.