DATE=8/19/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=U-S - AFGHAN ATTACK ANNIVERSARY
NUMBER=5-44089
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=KABUL
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///EDS: MISSILE ATTACK TOOK PLACE AUG. 20,1998///

INTRO:  One year ago, the United States launched a 
missile attack on suspected training camps run by the 
Saudi militant Osama bin Laden in southeastern 
Afghanistan.  The attack came in response to the 
bombings of two U-S embassies in Africa, which U-S 
authorities said had been planned by Mr. bin Laden, 
who has denied any involvement.  VOA's Scott Anger 
traveled to Kabul and spoke with the militarily 
dominant Taleban group, which the United States says 
is harboring the suspected terrorist.

TEXT:  Osama bin Laden is living in Afghanistan under 
the protection of the Taleban Islamic movement.  This 
has created tensions between the Taleban and the 
Clinton administration and has led to the imposition 
of economic sanctions against the Taleban by the 
United States.

But Taleban Information Minister Amir Khan Muttaqqi 
says the Taleban is  not  responsible for bringing Mr. 
bin Laden to Afghanistan and continues to allow him to 
stay, not because it supports Mr. Bin Laden, but 
because it considers him a guest.

            ///Muttaqqi Act in Pashto, fade under///

He says when Taleban forces captured Kabul and 
Jalalabad, Osama bin Laden had already been living in 
Afghanistan, so the Taleban inherited him.   Mr. 
Muttaqqi says it is an Afghan, and Islamic, tradition 
to protect guests as long as they are living in 
Afghanistan and are asking for asylum.

As a result, the Taleban has resisted U-S pressure to 
extradite Osama bin Laden.

After the embassy bombings in Africa, the Taleban's 
Supreme Court asked the world to produce evidence that 
Mr. bin Laden had been involved.  Three weeks after 
the announcement - when no evidence was produced -- 
the Taleban court ruled that the Saudi dissident was 
innocent.

            ///SAQIB ACT IN PASHTO, FADE UNDER///

Taleban Chief Justice Noor Mohammad Saqib says the 
world community and the United States was given 
sufficient time to produce evidence against Osama bin 
Laden to substantiate the claim that he is involved in 
the Africa bombings - but no one did.  As a result, he 
says, the Taleban's Supreme Court has closed the 
chapter on Osama bin Laden. 

Critics in the Islamic world of U-S efforts to arrest 
Mr. bin Laden say the United States has made him into 
a more powerful threat.  Now, his followers in 
Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan are issuing 
edicts, such as making American nationals terrorist 
targets if the U-S government carries out another 
attack against Mr. bin Laden's hideouts.

There is widespread speculation in the region that the 
United States may go forward with another attack on 
Afghanistan.  U-S officials have  not  commented on 
whether another attack will take place.

Recently, U-S officials expressed concern that Mr. bin 
Laden and his followers may be planning to target 
American interests.

But Taleban Information Minister Muttaqqi has ruled 
out such a possibility.  He says  no  one will be 
allowed to use Afghan territory to carry out any acts 
of terrorism.

            ///MUTTAQQI ACT IN PASHTO, FADE UNDER///

He says the Taleban will never allow Osama bin Laden 
to use the Afghan territory to carry out any 
operations.  Mr. Muttaqqi says that since the Taleban 
has restricted Mr. bin Laden by limiting his ability 
to communicate with the outside world, the United 
States should  not  use him as a reason to spoil 
relations between the two countries.

Last week, the U-S State department renewed a travel 
warning asking American citizens not to travel to 
Pakistan for fear of terrorist attacks by extremists 
in neighboring Afghanistan.  

Meanwhile, the U-S has increased pressure on the 
Taleban to extradite Mr. bin Laden.  Late last month, 
the United States imposed economic sanctions against 
the hard-line Islamic movement with the goal of 
forcing some kind of action by Kabul against Mr. Bin 
Laden.  In addition, Washington has frozen the assets 
of Afghanistan's national airline, Ariana.  Airline 
officials say the action by Washington will not affect 
their operations. (Signed)

NEB/SA/KL



19-Aug-1999 08:17 AM EDT (19-Aug-1999 1217 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.