DATE=2/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245503
TITLE=AFGHAN / BIN LADEN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ALI ZAIDI
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  REPORTS FROM AFGHANISTAN SAY THAT THE MAN SUSPECTED OF 
MASTERMINDING THE AMERICAN EMBASSY BOMBINGS IN AFRICA IS 
"MISSING."  THE REPORT COMES A DAY AFTER THE TALEBAN ANNOUNCED 
NEW RESTRICTIONS ON THE MILITANT SAUDI NATIONAL.  ALI ZAIDI 
REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD.

TEXT:  TALEBAN OFFICIALS IN KANDIHAR SAY THAT OSAMA BIN LADEN HAS
DISAPPEARED, AND THERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS THAT HE MAY ALREADY 
HAVE LEFT AFGHANISTAN.

THERE WAS  NO  INDICATION WHERE MR. BIN LADEN MAY HAVE GONE.

TALEBAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE  NOT  ASKED OSAMA BIN LADEN TO 
LEAVE AFGHANISTAN, BUT EARLIER THIS WEEK TALEBAN AUTHORITIES HAD 
IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON MR. BIN LADEN'S MOVEMENT AND 
COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, AMID GROWING PRESSURE FROM 
THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN FOR HIS EXTRADITION.

THE UNITED STATES ACCUSES OSAMA BIN LADEN OF ORDERING THE BOMBING
OF AMERICAN EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND TANZANIA LAST YEAR, WHICH 
KILLED MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE.  THE U-S GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED A 
5-MILLION DOLLAR AWARD FOR THE CAPTURE OF MR. BIN LADEN.  
AMERICAN AND BRITISH OFFICIALS MET TALEBAN REPRESENTATIVES 
RECENTLY AND PRESSED FOR THE CAPTURE OF MR. BIN LADEN, AND HAS 
BOMBED SUSPECTED TRAINING CAMPS IN AFGHANISTAN FOR MR. BIN 
LADEN'S FOLLOWERS.

A U-S EMBASSY SPOKESMAN IN ISLAMABAD SAYS THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
HAS  NO  INFORMATION AS YET REGARDING THE APPARENT DISAPPEARANCE 
OF OSAMA BIN LADEN.  AMERICAN AND BRITISH OFFICIALS MET TALEBAN 
OFFICIALS RECENTLY AND PRESSED FOR MR. BIN LADEN'S EXPULSION FROM
AFGHANISTAN.

THE TALEBAN HAS REFUSED THUS FAR TO HAND OVER MR. BIN LADEN, 
SAYING THERE IS  NO  PROOF OF HIS INVOLVEMENT IN TERRORISM.  
TALEBAN OFFICIALS SAY MR. BIN LADEN IS A GUEST IN THEIR COUNTRY. 
THE MILLIONAIRE SAUDI NATIONAL FOUGHT ALONGSIDE THE AFGHAN 
MUJAHIDEEN AGAINST SOVIET OCCUPATION, A STRUGGLE THAT HE ALSO 
HELPED TO FINANCE.

IN RECENT YEARS, MR. BIN LADEN HAS CALLED FOR ATTACKS ON AMERICAN
AND BRITISH INTERESTS TO FORCE WESTERN FORCES TO LEAVE SAUDI 
ARABIA, WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN STATIONED SINCE THE GULF WAR.

MR. BIN LADEN DENIES BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BOMBINGS IN 
AFRICA, BUT SUPPORTS ATTACKS ON WESTERN CIVILIANS AS PART OF HIS 
HOLY WAR.  TALEBAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL NOT ALLOW MR. BIN 
LADEN TO USE AFGHANISTAN AS A BASE FOR HIS EXPLOITS.

TALEBAN AUTHORITIES ARE KEEN TO ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
OF THEIR GOVERNMENT, SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HAMPERED BY THE 
PRESENCE OF MR. BIN LADEN IN THEIR MIDST.  (SIGNED)

NEB/AZ/GE

13-Feb-99 12:57 PM EST (1757 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.