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Taliban Say Bin Laden Safe, Won't Hand Him Over
Wednesday, November 14, 2001
(12:36 PM ET)

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Reuters
Afghanistan's hardline Taliban said Wednesday that Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden and their own supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar were both safe and in Afghanistan, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said.

"They are in Afghanistan and there has been no harm to them," the private Pakistan-based AIP quoted Taliban spokesman Mullah Abdullah as saying.

Asked whether the beleaguered Taliban were ready to strike a compromise with the United States on handing over bin Laden, he said: "There is no change in our position on the issue of Osama."

Abdullah also reported a clash between Taliban fighters and forces of the opposition Northern Alliance in northern Takhar province between the town of Taloqan and neighboring Kunduz province. He said many of the enemy were killed, including some 20 foreigners including Americans and Britons.

That report could not be independently verified.

Near Taloqan Sunday, two French reporters and one German were killed in a Taliban ambush.
(iWon.com News Source)
2001 © Reuters.

Dan