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Taliban Refuses to Hand Over bin Laden
Friday September 21, 2001 (2:27 PM ET)
By By Sonya Ross / Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON -- AP
Rejecting President Bush (news -- web sites)'s point-blank demand, the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan (news -- web sites) refused Friday to hand over Osama bin Laden (news -- web sites), suspected mastermind behind the worst terrorist attacks in American history. The Pentagon (news -- web sites) deployed additional planes to support a military buildup in the Persian Gulf.

The White House responded firmly to comments by Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan concerning bin Laden. “The president could not have made it any plainer last night,” said spokesman Ari Fleischer (news -- web sites). “This is not the time for negotiation or discussion.”

On the morning after Bush outlined plans for a global war on terrorism in a nationally televised address, Congress struggled to nail down final details of multibillion-dollar legislation to stabilize the nation's ailing airlines. But the nation's economic uncertainty was reflected in a gyrating stock market, down sharply, then up, then down again.

Bush was at the White House when Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan said that if America has proof, “we are ready for the trial of Osama bin Laden in light of the evidence.” Asked if the Taliban were ready to hand him over otherwise, Abdul Salam Zaeef replied, “No.” His translator amended that to say, “No, not without evidence.”

To Bush's demand, the ambassador added a warning of his own: “It has angered Muslims of the world and can plunge the whole region into a crisis.”
(More: AP News Source)

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