DATE=12/24/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-243485 TITLE=AFGHAN BIN LADEN (L) BYLINE=SARAH HORNER DATELINE=ISLAMABAD CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: SAUDI MILITANT OSAMA BIN LADEN HAS DENIED INVOLVEMENT IN THE BOMBING LAST AUGUST OF TWO AMERICAN EMBASSIES IN AFRICA. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME MR. BIN LADEN HAS COMMENTED ON U-S ALLEGATIONS HE MASTER-MINDED THE ATTACKS. SARAH HORNER HAS THE DETAILS FROM ISLAMABAD. TEXT: THE PAKISTAN-BASED AFGHAN ISLAMIC PRESS (A-I-P) REPORTS OSAMA BIN LADEN SAYS HE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE BOMB BLASTS WHICH KILLED 224-PEOPLE IN KENYA AND TANZANIA. BUT HE IS QUOTED AS SAYING HE DOES NOT REGRET WHAT HAPPENED THERE. HE SAYS AFRICAN MUSLIMS MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTACKS. A-I-P SAYS MR. BIN LADEN MADE HIS REMARKS DURING AN INTERVIEW IN AFGHANISTAN (WEDNESDAY) WITH THE OFFICIAL BAKHTAR NEWS AGENCY. THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS INDICTED MR. BIN LADEN FOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE ATTACKS IN AFRICA AND IS OFFERING A FIVE-MILLION-DOLLAR REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS CAPTURE. SHORTLY AFTER THE BOMBINGS, THE UNITED STATES FIRED DOZENS OF CRUISE MISSILES INTO AFGHANISTAN, TARGETING SUSPECTED CAMPS WHERE WASHINGTON SAID MR. BIN LADEN WAS TRAINING TERRORISTS. MR. BIN LADEN SAYS HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THE TALEBAN WILL EXPEL HIM FROM AFGHANISTAN AND HE EXPRESSES HIS APPRECIATION FOR THE TALEBAN'S STRICT ISLAMIC SYSTEM. TALEBAN AUTHORITIES HAVE REFUSED AMERICAN EXTRADITION REQUESTS FOR MR. BIN LADEN BECAUSE THEY SAY HE IS THEIR GUEST AND IN KEEPING WITH AFGHAN TRADITION THEY WILL PROTECT HIM. THE TALEBAN SAYS IT HAS RESTRICTED MR. BIN LADEN'S ACCESS TO THE MEDIA AFTER HE MADE SEVERAL THREATS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES DURING INTERVIEWS EARLIER IN THE YEAR. THE TALEBAN'S SUPREME COURT LAST MONTH FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF MR. BIN LADEN'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE EMBASSY BOMBINGS AFTER A TWO-WEEK INQUIRY. THE COURT SAID THE U-S GOVERNMENT DID NOT PRODUCE CREDIBLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT A CASE AGAINST MR BIN LADEN. (SIGNED) NEB/SLH/RAE/KL 24-Dec-98 12:06 PM EST (1706 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .