DATE=12/21/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=AFGHAN / U-S TERRORISM (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257362
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A top official in Afghanistan's Taleban
Islamic movement on Tuesday condemned terrorism and
said the Taleban is ready to cooperate in the fight
against it. But as Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad,
the official says the Taleban movement is standing by
its refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden, a man the
United States accuses of terrorism.
TEXT: The Taleban's ambassador to Pakistan, Sayed
Mohammad Haqqani, says his country condemns terrorism
and is always ready to cooperate with world community
to stop it. But the ambassador, speaking through an
official interpreter, says Osama bin Laden is not
involved in terrorist activities anywhere in the
world.
/// HAQQANI ACT FADE UNDER THE TRANSLATOR'S VOICE ///
Osama neither has any plans nor he can carry on
such plans from Afghan territory against anyone.
This fact is emphasized once again that he
(Osama) is just a guest. He cannot act against
anyone.
/// END ACT ///
The Taleban official says that Mr. Bin Laden's
activities have been controlled and that his access to
communication equipment, such as telephone and fax
machine, have been taken away.
The United States accuses Mr. Bin Laden of carrying
out last year's bombings of two U-S embassies in east
Africa, which killed more than 200 people. Mr. Bin
Laden is living in Afghanistan under the protection of
the Taleban. Within weeks of the bombings, U-S
warships fired cruise missiles at suspected terrorist
training camps linked to Mr. Bin Laden in Afghanistan.
Mr. Haqqani says on Monday the Taleban gave a letter
to the U-S Embassy in Islamabad, demanding Washington
provide evidence linking Osama bin Laden to the
bombings.
The State Department has issued a global terrorism
warning for U-S citizens, saying they could be targets
of attacks during New Year celebrations.
Ambassador Haqqani dismisses the American concerns.
He urges the United States to resolve the stalemate
over Mr. bin Laden through talks between the two
countries.
/// HAQQANI ACT FADE UNDER THE TRANSLATOR'S VOICE ///
If you (United States) is really interested to
resolve this issue rationally, then what is the
use of force? We, therefore, urgently demand
that human rights must be observed and
differentiation between politics and
humanitarian affairs is a must.
/// END ACT ///
Last month, the United Nations imposed financial and
aviation sanctions, backed by the United States, on
the Taleban for not surrendering Mr. Bin Laden to
stand trial in a third country. As the deadline for
sanctions approached, the Taleban proposed that
religious scholars from three other Muslim nations put
Mr. Bin Laden on trial, but the United States rejected
the proposal.
On Friday, Pakistan extradited to Jordan a Jordanian
citizen (Khalil al-Deek) said to have links with Osama
bin Laden. Officials in Amman have said the man is
suspected of leading a group planning terrorist
attacks against U-S targets in the Middle East.
(SIGNED)
NEB/AG/KL
21-Dec-1999 10:27 AM EDT (21-Dec-1999 1527 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
