DATE=8/19/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237325
TITLE=AFGHAN BIN LADEN (L)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AFGHANISTAN'S TALEBAN MOVEMENT HAS VOWED IT WILL NOT
TURN OVER A SAUDI MILITANT SUSPECTED IN THE BOMBINGS OF THE U-S
EMBASSIES IN EAST AFRICA. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
HAS MORE FROM OUR ISLAMABAD BUREAU.
TEXT: TALEBAN LEADER, MULLAH MOHAMMAD OMAR, TOLD THE AFGHAN
ISLAMIC PRESS THAT SAUDI MILITANT OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS NOT
INVOLVED IN THE U-S EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN KENYA AND TANZANIA.
MULLAH OMAR SAYS U-S INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES FIND IT CONVENIENT TO
BLAME MR. BIN LADEN TO COVER UP THEIR OWN FAILURES. HE SAYS THE
TALEBAN, IN HIS WORDS, WILL PROTECT MR. BIN LADEN WITH ALL OF ITS
BLOOD AND AT ALL COST.
MR. BIN LADEN IS LIVING IN AFGHANISTAN WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE
TALEBAN. MULLAH OMAR SAYS HE IS UNDER CONSTANT WATCH AND HAS
STRICT ORDERS NOT TO INDULGE IN ANY SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITY.
MULLAH OMAR SAYS THAT UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES HE CAN ASSURE THE
WORLD THAT MR. BIN LADEN HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN WRONGFUL
ACTIONS.
MR. BIN LADEN HAS DECLARED A HOLY WAR ON THE UNITED STATES AND IS
CONSIDERED BY WESTERN EXPERTS TO BE ONE OF THE WORLD'S MAJOR
SPONSORS OF TERRORISM. NEWS REPORTS SAY HE IS A PRIME SUSPECT IN
THE EMBASSY BOMBINGS.
MEANWHILE, SENIOR TALEBAN SPOKESMAN WAKEEL AHMED SAYS AFGHANISTAN
HAS NO AGREEMENT WITH ANY COUNTRY TO EXTRADITE CRIMINALS. HE
TOLD THE AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS THAT IF IT IS PROVED THAT SOMEONE
HAS ENGAGED IN WRONGFUL ACTS, THERE ARE GOOD COURTS IN
AFGHANISTAN TO PROSECUTE THAT PERSON. BUT, MR. AHMED SAYS, MR.
BIN LADEN IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES.
IN ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT, PAKISTANI AUTHORITIES ARE REPORTED TO BE
INVESTIGATING TWO BOMBING SUSPECTS WHO WERE ARRESTED LAST WEEK.
PAKISTANI NEWSPAPERS SAYS ABDULLAH [EDS: ONE NAME GIVEN], A SAUDI
NATIONAL, AND ABU JAFER, A SUDANESE, WERE DETAINED SATURDAY AT
TORKHAM ON THE PAKISTAN-AFGHAN BORDER. NO OFFICIAL WORD ON THE
SUSPECTS IS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DB/TMD/JO
19-Aug-98 11:23 AM EDT (1523 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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