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Taliban Stands by Bin Laden, Wants Evidence
KABUL, Sept 19 (News Agencies) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban on Wednesday gave its clearest signal yet that it is ready to face a U.S. attack rather than hand over Osama bin Laden.
As more than 1,000 clerics from all over Afghanistan began considering bin Laden's fate, a message from the Islamic militia's supreme leader pre-empted the clerics' meeting on whether they would agree to extradite the man suspected of orchestrating last week's attacks on New York and Washington.
Mullah Mohammad Omar said bin Laden, wanted "dead or alive" by the United States, would not be extradited without clear evidence and dismissed U.S. allegations against the Saudi-born dissident as a pretext to wage war on Islam.
"We appeal to the American government to show patience. We want the Americans to get undeniable evidence and search for the real culprits," he added, saying the perpetrators would be found in the United States itself.
"We have also told America that the Islamic government of Afghanistan denies any involvement in the recent incident," he said.
"Islam is a true way of life and our enemies and those against our religion believe that we are their enemies," Omar told the clerics, whose meeting was set to continue into Thursday.
"They are trying to finish us on various pretexts. One of their pretexts is Osama bin Laden's presence in Afghanistan."
As tens of thousands of Afghans continued to flee their homes in fear of a U.S. attack, refugees arriving in neighboring Pakistan provided further evidence that the Taliban is already bracing for war.
"The Taliban are very nervous and expect something to happen. I've seen a lot of soldiers moving around along the Kabul road," one refugee from Kabul told Agence France-Presse (AFP) as he arrived in the northwestern Pakistani frontier city of Peshawar.
"But they don't look frightened, in fact a lot of them seem to be quite excited by the whole thing. They're just ready for a big war."
Major troop movements were reported to be especially intense around the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, where bin Laden is widely believed to have a base.
Islamic groups in neighboring Pakistan stepped up their opposition to Islamabad's pledge of cooperation and the United States and Western embassies began pulling out the families of their diplomats and non-essential staff.
There has been no violence on Pakistan's streets yet, but some Islamic groups have vowed to wage a nationwide campaign against the government's stance.
The country's most important Islamic council Wednesday issued a fatwa calling for a
jihad [struggle] against the United States and its allies if they attack Afghanistan.
"The Pakistan Ulema Council has called for a jihad against America and its allies if they attack Afghanistan. The attack will be an act of terrorism," the council said.
"It is the duty of all the Muslims in the world to protect Muslim countries and Muslims, and the people of Pakistan and the
ulema [Islamic scholars] will not let America destroy the interests and identity of Pakistan and Afghanistan."
Council vice chairman Maulana Naseeruddin said rallies and "Death to America" conferences would be held around the country Friday.
Omar's statement to the meeting in Kabul reiterated the Taliban position that bin Laden could not have carried out last week's attacks because of restrictions placed on his movement by the regime.
He repeated the Taliban's offer to try bin Laden in the Afghan Supreme Court, or allow his activities to be monitored by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), both options already rejected by the United States.
The Taliban has sheltered bin Laden since 1996. He is regarded as an honored guest, has close links to Omar and other leaders and is a veteran of the country's resistance to the 1979-89 Soviet occupation.
"We have not tried to create problems with America," Omar said. "We have held negotiations with former American governments and we are ready to hold negotiations even now."
The Taliban chief and supreme spiritual leader called the meeting of hundreds of scholars after talks Monday with top military officials from Pakistan.
The Pakistanis warned him of devastating consequences for the Taliban and for Afghanistan if bin Laden is not handed over quickly and without conditions.
Omar will have the final say over bin Laden's fate, but the ulema are expected to issue
fatwas, or learned opinions, on the legality of his extradition under Islamic law and whether Muslims should fight a
jihad, or holy struggle, in the event of U.S. strikes.
"We have said that if there is evidence establishing Osama's guilt this evidence should be handed over to the Afghan Supreme Court, or let
ulema from three Islamic countries or the OIC keep an eye on Osama, but America has rejected all our suggestions," he said.
Without mentioning jihad, he urged the ulema to issue a fatwa "if America insists on attacking Afghanistan and killing our innocent and oppressed people."
As Washington continued to assemble an international coalition expected to strike Afghanistan, three U.S. aircraft carriers were Wednesday heading for undisclosed destinations.
The Islamabad embassies of the United States, the 15-nation European Union, Australia and Canada all indicated that non-essential staff and diplomats' families are leaving the country because of concern about possible unrest.
But diplomats stressed there was no emergency evacuation under way.
However, the British High Commission issued and advisory stating that, "in light of the security situation," all British nationals should consider whether to leave the country.
The United States gave non-essential staff the option to leave earlier this week, and France and other European Union countries, and Australia and Canada have adopted similar measures.
"The embassies are thinning their staff out now when it is not too bad so that it is easier if we have to evacuate later," one
Western diplomat told AFP.
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