PakNews.com

Bin Laden Granted Afghan Nationality

KANDAHAR, Nov 09 (PNS): Taliban have granted Afghan nationality to Saudi dissident Osama Bin Laden and his companions, impeccable Taliban sources told PNS here on Thursday.

Others who have been granted the nationality include, The Chief of defunct Islamic Jihad, Aimen Al-Zahawri, Islamic Jihad's Leader, Sheikh Asim Abdul Rehman, Operational Commander of Al-Qaeda, Saif-ul-Adil Abu Hafz, and Deputy Operational Commander Muhammad Atef. These four belong to Egypt, however, the Egyptian government has already terminated their nationality, sources said.

Al-Zahawri and others have also been declared " Most Wanted" by the USA in line with Osama Bin laden in connection with September 11 terrorist attacks on World Trade Center and Pentagon. It offers huge rewards to the information, which lead to the arrest of respective " fugitives".

" The proposal of granting Afghan nationality to Osama and others had been under consideration after America unleashed bombing and missile attacks on Afghanistan", a Taliban official said.

This, he said, was not the first time that Arabs had been awarded Afghan nationality. The former Afghan President, Burhanuddin Rabbani had also granted nationality to some 604 Arab Mujahiddin during his stint, he maintained.

Taliban have decided to grant Afghan nationality to Osama and his colleagues because they think that after the US bombing and killing of innocent civilians, there was no possibility of Bin Laden's handing over to America, the official said.

" Now he is not our guest. He is the citizen of Afghanistan and we will not hand over him to USA in any case", he maintained.

It is still unclear as to whether the Afghan nationality to Bin Laden has been granted on his request or Taliban themselves decided about it.

Ends

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2001