DATE=8/19/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=U-S - AFGHAN ATTACK ANNIVERSARY
NUMBER=5-44089
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=KABUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
///EDS: MISSILE ATTACK TOOK PLACE AUG. 20,1998///
INTRO: One year ago, the United States launched a
missile attack on suspected training camps run by the
Saudi militant Osama bin Laden in southeastern
Afghanistan. The attack came in response to the
bombings of two U-S embassies in Africa, which U-S
authorities said had been planned by Mr. bin Laden,
who has denied any involvement. VOA's Scott Anger
traveled to Kabul and spoke with the militarily
dominant Taleban group, which the United States says
is harboring the suspected terrorist.
TEXT: Osama bin Laden is living in Afghanistan under
the protection of the Taleban Islamic movement. This
has created tensions between the Taleban and the
Clinton administration and has led to the imposition
of economic sanctions against the Taleban by the
United States.
But Taleban Information Minister Amir Khan Muttaqqi
says the Taleban is not responsible for bringing Mr.
bin Laden to Afghanistan and continues to allow him to
stay, not because it supports Mr. Bin Laden, but
because it considers him a guest.
///Muttaqqi Act in Pashto, fade under///
He says when Taleban forces captured Kabul and
Jalalabad, Osama bin Laden had already been living in
Afghanistan, so the Taleban inherited him. Mr.
Muttaqqi says it is an Afghan, and Islamic, tradition
to protect guests as long as they are living in
Afghanistan and are asking for asylum.
As a result, the Taleban has resisted U-S pressure to
extradite Osama bin Laden.
After the embassy bombings in Africa, the Taleban's
Supreme Court asked the world to produce evidence that
Mr. bin Laden had been involved. Three weeks after
the announcement - when no evidence was produced --
the Taleban court ruled that the Saudi dissident was
innocent.
///SAQIB ACT IN PASHTO, FADE UNDER///
Taleban Chief Justice Noor Mohammad Saqib says the
world community and the United States was given
sufficient time to produce evidence against Osama bin
Laden to substantiate the claim that he is involved in
the Africa bombings - but no one did. As a result, he
says, the Taleban's Supreme Court has closed the
chapter on Osama bin Laden.
Critics in the Islamic world of U-S efforts to arrest
Mr. bin Laden say the United States has made him into
a more powerful threat. Now, his followers in
Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan are issuing
edicts, such as making American nationals terrorist
targets if the U-S government carries out another
attack against Mr. bin Laden's hideouts.
There is widespread speculation in the region that the
United States may go forward with another attack on
Afghanistan. U-S officials have not commented on
whether another attack will take place.
Recently, U-S officials expressed concern that Mr. bin
Laden and his followers may be planning to target
American interests.
But Taleban Information Minister Muttaqqi has ruled
out such a possibility. He says no one will be
allowed to use Afghan territory to carry out any acts
of terrorism.
///MUTTAQQI ACT IN PASHTO, FADE UNDER///
He says the Taleban will never allow Osama bin Laden
to use the Afghan territory to carry out any
operations. Mr. Muttaqqi says that since the Taleban
has restricted Mr. bin Laden by limiting his ability
to communicate with the outside world, the United
States should not use him as a reason to spoil
relations between the two countries.
Last week, the U-S State department renewed a travel
warning asking American citizens not to travel to
Pakistan for fear of terrorist attacks by extremists
in neighboring Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the U-S has increased pressure on the
Taleban to extradite Mr. bin Laden. Late last month,
the United States imposed economic sanctions against
the hard-line Islamic movement with the goal of
forcing some kind of action by Kabul against Mr. Bin
Laden. In addition, Washington has frozen the assets
of Afghanistan's national airline, Ariana. Airline
officials say the action by Washington will not affect
their operations. (Signed)
NEB/SA/KL
19-Aug-1999 08:17 AM EDT (19-Aug-1999 1217 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
