DATE=10/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240538
TITLE=AFGHANISTAN/U-S UPDATE (L ONLY)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL MET IN WASHINGTON
(WEDNESDAY) WITH A REPRESENTATIVE OF AFGHANISTAN'S RULING TALEBAN
FACTION. NO DETAILS HAVE BEEN REVEALED, BUT THE TALKS WERE
EXPECTED TO FOCUS ON THE FATE OF ACCUSED SAUDI TERRORIST, OSAMA
BIN LADEN. HE REMAINS IN AFGHANISTAN UNDER TALEBAN PROTECTION,
DESPITE U-S DEMANDS FOR HIS EXTRADITION ON CHARGES HE ORGANIZED
THE AUGUST BOMB ATTACKS ON THE AMERICAN EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND
TANZANIA. CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS ROBERTS REPORTS.
TEXT: THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAD LITTLE TO SAY ABOUT WEDNESDAY'S
TALKS BETWEEN ASSISTANT SECRETARY KARL INDERFURTH AND THE
TALEBAN'S NEW YORK REPRESENTATIVE, ABDEL HAKEEM MUJAHID.
THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE TALKS, SAID ONE U-S OFFICIAL,
ADDING WASHINGTON HOLDS ROUTINE CONTACTS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF
ALL OF AFGHANISTAN'S MAJOR GROUPS.
MR. MUJAHID REQUESTED WEDNESDAY'S MEETING. IN AN INTERVIEW
TUESDAY WITH "THE WASHINGTON POST", HE INDICATED HE WOULD USE THE
OCCASION TO RENEW THE TALEBAN'S OFFER TO PUT OSAMA BIN LADEN ON
TRIAL, IF THE UNITED STATES SUBMITS CONVINCING EVIDENCE OF HIS
INVOLVEMENT IN THE EMBASSY BOMBINGS THAT LEFT MORE THAN
260-PEOPLE DEAD.
THE UNITED STATES RESPONDED TO THE ATTACKS WITH MISSILE STRIKES
ON SITES ASSOCIATED WITH BIN LADEN ACTIVITIES IN SUDAN AND
AFGHANISTAN. IN CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY EARLIER THIS MONTH,
ASSISTANT SECRETARY INDERFURTH WARNED THE TALEBAN LEADERSHIP
THERE COULD BE FURTHER U-S ATTACKS UNLESS MR. BIN LADEN IS HANDED
OVER TO, WHAT HE TERMED, THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES FOR TRIAL.
TALEBAN LEADERS HAVE EFFECTIVELY REJECTED THE U-S DEMAND, AND AN
EARLIER BIN LADEN EXTRADITION REQUEST FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF
SAUDI ARABIA FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE 1996 TERRORIST ATTACK
ON A U-S ARMY HOUSING COMPOUND IN DHARAN.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY BY OFFERING A SAFE HAVEN AND TREATING HIM AS A
GUEST, TALEBAN AUTHORITIES ARE GUILTY OF COMPLICITY IN BIN LADEN
TERRORIST OFFENSES.
IN THE "WASHINGTON POST" INTERVIEW, MR. MUJAHID REPEATED TALEBAN
AUTHORITIES HAVE PLACED RESTRICTIONS ON OSAMA BIN LADEN. HE IS
NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO THE PRESS, NOR ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES
DIRECTED AGAINST OTHER NATIONS. BUT THE TALEBAN ENVOY ALSO SAID
MOST ORDINARY AFGHANS CONSIDER HIM A HERO, AND DO NOT BELIEVE HE
IS A TERRORIST. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/RAE
21-Oct-98 3:27 PM EDT (1927 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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