Taliban Says Bin Laden Whereabouts Known

Sept. 30, 2001 -- Afghanistan's government said today its agents know Osama bin Laden's location and he is under their control. U.S. officials responded by renewing their demand that the suspect in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America be turned over immediately.

"The president has said we're not negotiating," Andrew Card, the White House chief of staff, said on Fox News Sunday. "We've told the Taliban government what theyshould be doing. They've got to turn not only Osama bin Laden overbut all of the operatives of the al Qaeda organization [bin Laden's terrorist group]. They've got to stop being a haven where terrorists can train."

President Bush has named bin Laden, an Afghanistan-based Saudi exile, the "prime suspect" in Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, which left approximately 5,700 people dead or presumed dead.

A Taliban official, Abdul Salam Zaeef, said today the Taliban is willing to negotiate over bin Laden's surrender, if U.S. officials present evidence of his involvement in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

"The position of the two countries is very different," Zaeefsaid. "They are thinking of direct attack. We are thinking ofnegotiation. They have provided no evidence but they want the man.But we say if they change and talk to us, and if they presentevidence, we will respect their negotiations and that might changethings.

"He's in Afghanistan. He is under our control," Zaeef added. " Wherever he is, he's in a secret place but that doesn't mean that he is out of the control of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. He's in a place which cannot be located by anyone. … Only security people know where he is."

Western Skepticism

However, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld rejected the Taliban's statement, saying that he had no reason to believe them, especially given that they denied knowing bin Laden's whereabouts just last week. American officials have steadily maintained that it is within the Taliban's power to produce bin Laden.

"This could be disinformation," he told the BBC. "It could be another ruse. What is important, however, is that the Taliban understand that it is their duty under the United Nations resolutions and international law to surrender Osama bin Laden and his associates so that they can be brought to justice and their capability for taking further terrorist action eliminated. There's no compromise with that."-->

The Taliban, Rumsfeld suggested, is not interested in handing over bin Laden or any other terrorist group in the area.

"I doubt they'll do anything about it," Rumsfeld told reporters today. "They've been adamant in their position."

Rumsfeld added that bringing in bin Laden would not end terrorism, and U.S. officials want any other terrorists that are being harbored in Afghanistan handed over and terrorist camps dismantled.

In an interview with CNN, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said hopes thatthe Taliban will hand over bin Laden and accede to other U.S.demands are "very dim." Pakistan is the only nation that still formally recognizes the Taliban, and its officials repeatedly have traveled to Afghanistan to call for bin Laden's turnover. Another delegation of Islamic leaders is heading to the Afghanistan's capital to talk to the Taliban.

However, Rumsfeld said he was confident the support the United States was getting would enable them to hunt down the terrorist networks.

"The cooperation we've been receiving, inside and outside the region, has been breathtaking," Rumsfeld said. "It's been so broad, so deep … the evidence we're gathering, the pieces of intelligence we're getting will give us information that will enable us to disintegrate these terrorist networks."

Ashcroft: Possibility of More Attacks

As U.S. troops prepare for a possible strike, Attorney General John Ashcroft said today the risk for more terrorist attacks would rise once the United States retaliates for the attacks nearly three weeks ago.

At a hearing last week on Capital Hill, Ashcroft pressed more measures designed to give law enforcement need more to combat terrorism within the United States. He specifically urged Congress to pass resolutions that would give the government ability to detain or deport immigrants it believes may engage in terrorist activity, without a court hearing and investigators to right wire tap multiple telephone numbers of an individual, rather than being restricted to a single telephone number. He has also asked Congress to quickly approve new money laundering legislation to stem money flowing to terrorist networks.

Today, Ashcroft reiterated that passing these measures, not talking about them, would effectively combat terrorism.

"Talk does not stop terrorism, tools help reduce the riskof terrorism," he said.

Concerns about the effect Ashcroft's requests might have on civil liberties have slowed action on the proposals. The Senate Judiciary Committee may vote on the proposals this week.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Henry Shelton told ABC's This Week that the threat of other attacks would not influence the administration's aggressive pursuit of terrorist groups.

"I think that you always worry about organizations or worry about a response you may receive from anyone," Shelton said. "But that should not stand in the way of doing what is right and what is best for American citizens for the long term."

Shelton added that more than 100 nations have thrown their support behind the U.S. war on terrorism.

Return of an Exiled King?

An ex-Afghan leader also supports the United State's efforts. Ex-King Zahir Shah, who has lived in exile in Rome since he was deposed in 1973, told a visiting congressional delegation today that he would support U.S. military action to help remove the Taliban.

Shah also met with and is preparing to join forces with the military commanders of the Northern Alliance, the rebel group that has been battling the Taliban in Afghanistan for several years. The former king told This Week that he hopes to return to his country if the Taliban is removed and hopes to provide unity to his troubled land.

"[We're hoping for] cooperation with each other, take our country forward," Shah said of his meetings through a translator. "We have many problems ahead ofus still and economic problems, community problems."

The Taliban's spiritual leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, today warned Shah to stay out of Afghanistan's affairs.

"Forget Afghanistan, you won't be able to solve the issueof Afghanistan in your lifetime," Omar said in a speech broadcast on Voice of Shariat radio.

Troops, Food and Leaflets

The United States continues to mobilize military power near the country and has already placed some of its special forces operatives inside Afghanistan. The special forces units have been performing reconnaissance work as a necessary part of the search for bin Laden.

The United States is also planning a bombing campaign, although it is not yet clear when it will start. The targets in Afghanistan will be strategic military bases, included those used for air defense, sources told ABCNEWS.

Another part of the campaign will involve air drops of food into Afghanistan, intended to help alleviate the famine-like conditions some Afghans have been experiencing. The United States will also drop leaflets and use radio broadcasts from nearby posts to try to explain to the native population what the campaign is intended to accomplish.

According to Taliban radio reports, officials have met across the country in eight provinces over the weekend and, participants are preparing for a jihad — holy war. But the Taliban leader, Mohammed Omar, is quoted as saying he does not expect a U.S. strike because, he says, there's no reason for an attack.

Nevertheless, many Afghans are on the run. Today, a 20-truck convoy that United Nations officials said included about 400 tons of wheat and medical supplies headed out of Islamabad, Pakistan, with the goal of reaching hungry Afghan residents in Kabul and other northwest areas to which they've fled. It was the first such shipment since the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the U.S. Lack of roads in the area is expected to force the aid workers to transfer the shipment to about 4,000 donkeys and mules inside Afghanistan.

"We anticipate that this journey is going to take approximately four to five days," said Chulho Hyun of UNICEF.

Today, Ashcroft reiterated that passing these measures, not talking about them, would effectively combat terrorism.

"Talk does not stop terrorism, tools help reduce the riskof terrorism," he said.

Concerns about the effect Ashcroft's requests might have on civil liberties have slowed action on the proposals. The Senate Judiciary Committee may vote on the proposals this week.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Henry Shelton told ABC's This Week that the threat of other attacks would not influence the administration's aggressive pursuit of terrorist groups.

"I think that you always worry about organizations or worry about a response you may receive from anyone," Shelton said. "But that should not stand in the way of doing what is right and what is best for American citizens for the long term."

Shelton added that more than 100 nations have thrown their support behind the U.S. war on terrorism.

Return of an Exiled King?

An ex-Afghan leader also supports the United State's efforts. Ex-King Zahir Shah, who has lived in exile in Rome since he was deposed in 1973, told a visiting congressional delegation today that he would support U.S. military action to help remove the Taliban.

Shah also met with and is preparing to join forces with the military commanders of the Northern Alliance, the rebel group that has been battling the Taliban in Afghanistan for several years. The former king told This Week that he hopes to return to his country if the Taliban is removed and hopes to provide unity to his troubled land.

"[We're hoping for] cooperation with each other, take our country forward," Shah said of his meetings through a translator. "We have many problems ahead ofus still and economic problems, community problems."

The Taliban's spiritual leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, today warned Shah to stay out of Afghanistan's affairs.

"Forget Afghanistan, you won't be able to solve the issueof Afghanistan in your lifetime," Omar said in a speech broadcast on Voice of Shariat radio.

Troops, Food and Leaflets

The United States continues to mobilize military power near the country and has already placed some of its special forces operatives inside Afghanistan. The special forces units have been performing reconnaissance work as a necessary part of the search for bin Laden.

The United States is also planning a bombing campaign, although it is not yet clear when it will start. The targets in Afghanistan will be strategic military bases, included those used for air defense, sources told ABCNEWS.

Another part of the campaign will involve air drops of food into Afghanistan, intended to help alleviate the famine-like conditions some Afghans have been experiencing. The United States will also drop leaflets and use radio broadcasts from nearby posts to try to explain to the native population what the campaign is intended to accomplish.

According to Taliban radio reports, officials have met across the country in eight provinces over the weekend and, participants are preparing for a jihad — holy war. But the Taliban leader, Mohammed Omar, is quoted as saying he does not expect a U.S. strike because, he says, there's no reason for an attack.

Nevertheless, many Afghans are on the run. Today, a 20-truck convoy that United Nations officials said included about 400 tons of wheat and medical supplies headed out of Islamabad, Pakistan, with the goal of reaching hungry Afghan residents in Kabul and other northwest areas to which they've fled. It was the first such shipment since the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the U.S. Lack of roads in the area is expected to force the aid workers to transfer the shipment to about 4,000 donkeys and mules inside Afghanistan.

"We anticipate that this journey is going to take approximately four to five days," said Chulho Hyun of UNICEF.

Another part of the campaign will involve air drops of food into Afghanistan, intended to help alleviate the famine-like conditions some Afghans have been experiencing. The United States will also drop leaflets and use radio broadcasts from nearby posts to try to explain to the native population what the campaign is intended to accomplish.

According to Taliban radio reports, officials have met across the country in eight provinces over the weekend and, participants are preparing for a jihad — holy war. But the Taliban leader, Mohammed Omar, is quoted as saying he does not expect a U.S. strike because, he says, there's no reason for an attack.

Nevertheless, many Afghans are on the run. Today, a 20-truck convoy that United Nations officials said included about 400 tons of wheat and medical supplies headed out of Islamabad, Pakistan, with the goal of reaching hungry Afghan residents in Kabul and other northwest areas to which they've fled. It was the first such shipment since the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the U.S. Lack of roads in the area is expected to force the aid workers to transfer the shipment to about 4,000 donkeys and mules inside Afghanistan.

"We anticipate that this journey is going to take approximately four to five days," said Chulho Hyun of UNICEF.