DATE=8/20/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237369
TITLE=AFGHAN BIN LADEN (L-UPDATE)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AFGHANISTAN'S TALEBAN FACTION SAYS IT COULD BE OPEN TO
NEGOTIATIONS ABOUT SAUDI MILITANT OSAMA BIN LADEN WHO IS
SUSPECTED IN THE BOMBINGS OF U-S EMBASSIES IN AFRICA.
CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN HAS THE STORY FROM ISLAMABAD.
TEXT: SENIOR TALEBAN OFFICIAL WAKHEEL AHMED TOLD THE AFGHAN
ISLAMIC PRESS, THERE ARE GOOD COURTS IN AFGHANISTAN TO PROSECUTE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMITTED WRONGFUL ACTS.
HE SAYS IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS PROVEN GUILTY THE TALEBAN WILL SIT
DOWN AND NEGOTIATE WITH ANY COUNTRY SEEKING HIS EXTRADITION --
INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES. MR. AHMED SAYS AFGHANISTAN HAS NO
AGREEMENT WITH ANY COUNTRY TO EXTRADITE CRIMINALS.
BUT THE HEAD OF THE TALEBAN MOVEMENT, MULLAH MOHAMMAD OMAR HAS
RULED OUT HANDING OVER SAUDI MILITANT OSAMA BIN LADEN TO THE U-S
GOVERNMENT, EVEN IN RETURN FOR POSSIBLE RECOGNITION. HE TOLD THE
PAKISTANI NEWSPAPER, "THE NEWS", THAT NO AMOUNT OF TEMPTATION OR
COERCION COULD FORCE THE TALEBAN TO HAND OVER MR. BIN LADEN TO
THE UNITED STATES OR PAKISTANI GOVERNMENTS.
MULLAH OMAR ALSO SAYS THE SAUDI MILITANT WAS NOT INVOLVED IN
THE BOMBINGS OF U-S EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND TANZANIA.
MR. BIN LADEN HAS BEEN LIVING IN AFGHANISTAN WITH THE SUPPORT OF
THE TALEBAN. HE HAS DECLARED A HOLY WAR ON THE UNITED STATES AND
IS A KEY SUSPECT IN THE BOMBINGS.
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAS SAID IF THE TALEBAN
WANTS TO BE RECOGNIZED IT SHOULD NOT SHELTER KNOWN OR SUSPECTED
TERRORISTS.
IN ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT, THE URDU LANGUAGE PAKISTAN NEWSPAPER,
"THE JANG", SAYS PAKISTAN HAS TURNED DOWN A U-S REQUEST TO
COOPERATE IN ARRESTING MR. BIN LADEN. A PAKISTANI FOREIGN
MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAYS HE IS NOT AWARE OF SUCH A REQUEST. A
U-S EMBASSY SPOKESMAN SAYS HE HAS NOTHING ON THE STORY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/RAE
20-Aug-98 10:17 AM EDT (1417 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
