BIN LADEN - US tells Taleban to control him

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U.S. Tells Taliban to Control Bin Laden

June 29, 2001 05:51 AM ET

By Jack Redden

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - The United States warned Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement on Friday they would bear responsibility for any attack on U.S. interests by Saudi militant Osama bin Laden, the Taliban ambassador said.

U.S. Ambassador William Milam delivered the warning about bin Laden -- who has been given shelter by the Taliban -- during an hour-long meeting at the Taliban embassy in Islamabad, Taliban Ambassador Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef told Reuters.

Milam was not immediately available for comment.

Bin Laden has been accused by Washington of a long list of attacks on American targets, including the bombing of two U.S. embassies in east Africa. It has offered a $5 million reward for his capture.

"The American ambassador expressed his concern about Osama attacking American interests," Zaeef said. "He said the U.S. would blame the Taliban government if Osama attacked any U.S. interests."

The United States launched cruise missile attacks against alleged training camps run by bin Laden in Afghanistan in 1998 soon after U.S. embassies in Tanzania and Kenya were destroyed by massive bombs.

Several people were killed by the U.S. attacks but bin Laden escaped injury.

TALIBAN ASSURANCE

Zaeef said he assured Milam that although bin Laden has been given sanctuary, the Taliban would not allow him to mount any attacks against U.S. targets from their territory.

"I told him categorically that we would never allow anyone to use our soil for attacks against America," Zaeef said soon after their meeting.

Washington has been angered at the Taliban's sheltering of bin Laden and has orchestrated the imposition of U.N. sanctions against the movement in an effort to force them to hand over the Islamic militant.

But the sanctions, which include restrictions of Taliban officials abroad and an arms embargo against their forces, have produced no change in the Taliban position that he is a guest.

They maintain Washington has produced no proof bin Laden was involved in the alleged attacks.

As well as the embassy bombings, U.S. officials suspect the veteran of the war against Soviet forces in Afghanistan is linked to the attack last year on a U.S. warship in Yemen and assaults early in the 1990s on Americans in Somalia.

Islamabad is one of the few places where U.S. diplomats have contact with Taliban officials because Pakistan is one of only three countries to recognize them as the government of Afghanistan.

Pakistan also maintains an embassy in Kabul but the other two countries to recognize the Taliban -- Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates -- have no representation inside Afghanistan.

The U.S does not recognize any government in Afghanistan and has said only a broad-based administration encompassing the Taliban and their opponents holding the northeast corner of the country could bring an end to the 21 years of war.

[OG sarcasm: Isn't this kinda like telling Saddam to reign in his sons?]]

-- Anonymous, June 29, 2001


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