<

Bin Laden Worth Millions to Taliban
Saturday, September 22, 2001

AFGHANISTAN: Alleged terrorist also provides fighters for country's rulers.

The Associated Press
Osama bin Laden's presence brings Afghanistan's ruling Taliban a trove of donations from a global network that has helped keep the cash-starved militia in power, intelligence experts say.

While a U.S. attack would be costly for Afghanistan, the ruling Taliban would likely lose an important source of income if it forces bin Laden out.

Bin Laden takes in millions of dollars in contributions from Islamic supporters in the Arab world, which in turn are used partly to fund Afghanistan's leaders, intelligence experts say.

With a personal fortune estimated at $300 million, bin Laden funds a global network of as many as 3,000 Islamic militants and also supplies highly trained fighters for the Taliban's war against a northern-based opposition alliance.

"(Bin Laden's) been a major economic force, attracting millions, certainly tens of millions of dollars in external support to Afghanistan," said Jonathan M. Winer, the deputy assistant secretary of state for international enforcement during the Clinton administration.
(More: BellinghamHerald.com News Source)

Dan