Military

DATE=10/07/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-281473

TITLE= AFGHAN ATTACKS (L)

BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE

DATELINE= ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: As the U-S - led military strikes against Taleban targets

continued (Monday), Taleban authorities said their leader, Mullah Mohammed

Omar and alleged terrorist Osama bin Laden are safe. V-O-A's Jim

Teeple reports from Islamabad, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry says it hopes

the U-S and allied action takes every care to minimize harm to the

Afghan people.

TEXT: A statement from the Taleban Ambassador to Pakistan, Abdul Salaam

Zaeef, condemns the strikes against targets in Afghanistan saying

"Afghanistan is the victim of American arrogance and expansion."

Ambassador Zaeef read the statement to reporters shortly after the

attacks began saying the military action is designed to destroy the

Taleban's Islamic system.

/// ZAAEF ACTUALITY ///

America will never achieve its political goals by launching horrendous

attacks on the Muslim people of Afghanistan.

/// END ACTUALITY ///

Ambassador Zaaef says the military action will unify the Afghan people

against America. President Bush says the attacks are a strike against

terrorism not the Afghan people.

Pakistan's foreign ministry has released a statement saying it regrets that

diplomatic efforts to convince the Taleban to surrender Osama bin Laden

and members of his al-Qaida organization did not succeed. The statement

also says Paksitan hopes the allied action remains clearly targeted and achieves the

aims of U-N Security Council resolutions.

Pakistan's President, General Pervez Musharraf is scheduled to address

the nation in a press conference Monday. Over the past few days General

Musharraf has said evidence the United States provided to Pakistan

indicates that Osama bin Laden and members of his al-Qaida organization

were involved in terrorism.

Pakistani supporters of the Taleban have denounced the military action.

A spokesman for Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan's largest religious political

party calls the action "an attack against Islam," and warns of a

backlash within Pakistan's military against President Musharraf. Other

smaller, religious and political groups called for a "jihad" or holy war

against the United States and its allies. (Signed)

NEB/JLT/RH