WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces have warned shippers to cooperate with maritime searches for al Qaeda fighters fleeing Afghanistan (news - web sites) by sea or risk being sunk, defense officials said on Friday. The U.S. Fifth Fleet and coalition forces are monitoring commercial vessels in the North Arabian Sea, ``particularly those operating off the Pakistani coast'' in the hunt for Saudi-born extremist Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) and members of his al Qaeda network, as well as fighters of the collapsing Taliban militia that formerly ruled Afghanistan, a defense official said. ``Anyone suspected of assisting or transporting bin Laden and/or al Qaeda leadership should expect to be boarded and will risk the sinking or seizure of the vessel and will be detained and jailed,'' the defense official said. <snip> http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011207/ts/attack_military_ships_dc_2.html