DATE=12/21/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=AFGHAN / U-S TERRORISM (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-257362
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO:  A top official in Afghanistan's Taleban 
Islamic movement on Tuesday condemned terrorism and 
said the Taleban is ready to cooperate in the fight 
against it.  But as Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad, 
the official says the Taleban movement is standing by 
its refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden, a man the 
United States accuses of terrorism.

TEXT:  The Taleban's ambassador to Pakistan, Sayed 
Mohammad Haqqani, says his country condemns terrorism 
and is always ready to cooperate with world community 
to stop it.  But the ambassador, speaking through an 
official interpreter, says Osama bin Laden is  not  
involved in terrorist activities anywhere in the 
world. 

 /// HAQQANI ACT FADE UNDER THE TRANSLATOR'S VOICE ///

      Osama neither has any plans nor he can carry on 
      such plans from Afghan territory against anyone. 
      This fact is emphasized once again that he  
      (Osama) is just a guest. He cannot act against 
      anyone. 

            /// END ACT ///

The Taleban official says that Mr. Bin Laden's 
activities have been controlled and that his access to 
communication equipment, such as telephone and fax 
machine, have been taken away.

The United States accuses Mr. Bin Laden of carrying 
out last year's bombings of two U-S embassies in east 
Africa, which killed more than 200 people.  Mr. Bin 
Laden is living in Afghanistan under the protection of 
the Taleban.  Within weeks of the bombings, U-S 
warships fired cruise missiles at suspected terrorist 
training camps linked to Mr. Bin Laden in Afghanistan.

Mr. Haqqani says on Monday the Taleban gave a letter 
to the U-S Embassy in Islamabad, demanding Washington 
provide evidence linking Osama bin Laden to the 
bombings.

The State Department has issued a global terrorism 
warning for U-S citizens, saying they could be targets 
of attacks during New Year celebrations.

Ambassador Haqqani dismisses the American concerns.  
He urges the United States to resolve the stalemate 
over Mr. bin Laden through talks between the two 
countries.

/// HAQQANI ACT FADE UNDER THE TRANSLATOR'S VOICE ///

      If you (United States) is really interested to 
      resolve this issue rationally, then what is the 
      use of force?  We, therefore, urgently demand 
      that human rights must be observed and 
      differentiation between politics and 
      humanitarian affairs is a must.

            /// END ACT ///

Last month, the United Nations imposed financial and 
aviation sanctions, backed by the United States, on 
the Taleban for not surrendering Mr. Bin Laden to 
stand trial in a third country.  As the deadline for 
sanctions approached, the Taleban proposed that 
religious scholars from three other Muslim nations put 
Mr. Bin Laden on trial, but the United States rejected 
the proposal.

On Friday, Pakistan extradited to Jordan a Jordanian 
citizen (Khalil al-Deek) said to have links with Osama 
bin Laden.  Officials in Amman have said the man is 
suspected of leading a group planning terrorist 
attacks against U-S targets in the Middle East.  
(SIGNED)

NEB/AG/KL




21-Dec-1999 10:27 AM EDT (21-Dec-1999 1527 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.