AFGHANISTAN’S ruling Taliban on Thursday denied a report that Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden had been placed under house arrest, the Afghan Islamic Press news service said. ”This morning Taliban sources in Kabul told AIP that these news stories that Osama or any of his associates have been arrested are false and fabricated,” the Pakistan-based AIP said. An Arabic online newspaper Ilaf, quoting ”fundamentalist Arab sources”, said the ”Taliban have arrested Osama bin Laden before placing him under surveillance with several of his assistants,” including the head of the Egyptian branch of Al-Jihad Ayman Al-Zawahri and bin Laden’s military commander, Muhammad Atef Al-Makni. Bin Laden is considered a prime suspect in Tuesday’s devastating attacks on the United States. The Taliban have always refused demands that he be turned over to US authorities to face trial for previous alleged attacks on the United States. ”The Taliban are of the opinion that Osama or his group are not involved in this enormous act (attacking the United States) as there are complete restrictions on communications and such acts cannot be done without communications,” AIP said. – Reuters
Wednesday September 12, 2001