Taliban say it's time to "forget" about Sept. 11 attacks

Cleveland.com ^ | November 21, 2001 | Haroon Rashid

[Mr. Mulliner]

Taliban say it's time to "forget" about Sept. 11 attacks

By HAROON RASHID
The Associated Press
11/21/01 9:11 AM

SPINBOLDAK, Afghanistan (AP) -- It is time to "forget" about the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States, a Taliban spokesman said Wednesday, as they have been superseded by the U.S.-led war on Afghanistan.

Syed Tayyad Agha, spokesman for Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, also told a news conference that the Islamic militia doesn't know where Osama bin Laden is.

"You should forget the Sept. 11 attacks because now there is a new fighting against Muslims and Islam, and the international and global terrorists like America and Britain, they are killing daily our innocent people," he told journalists in the Afghan border town of Spinboldak.

He said the Taliban have lost contact with bin Laden and that he is no longer under the militia's control.

"We have no idea where he is," Agha said. "There is no relation right now. There is no communication."

Agha said he knew of no members of bin Laden's al-Qaida network in areas under Taliban control and that contact with them had been lost "due to their communication problems."

Agha also said the Taliban would defend territory they still control after a week of retreats across Afghanistan, including their home base, Kandahar.

"They have decided to defend the presently controlled areas," he said. "We will try our best and we will defend our nation ... and we will not give any chance to anybody to disturb our Islamic rule in Kandahar and other provinces."

President Bush launched the military campaign against Afghanistan on Oct. 7 after the Taliban refused to hand over bin Laden for his alleged role in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed 4,000 people in the United States.

However, Agha told a group of foreign journalists in this southern border town that Sept. 11 was "America's problem" because it was carried out by people in the United States and that the Taliban was not responsible.

"This is the problem of Bush and (British Prime Minister) Tony Blair," he said. "This is not our problem."

Agha said the Taliban have no plans to abandon Kandahar and denied reports that local elders had asked them to leave, saying, "No tribal elders have contacted us."

"How could they ask for such a thing against the Taliban?" he added.

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[Mr. Mulliner]

I'm sure they'd be better off if we would all forget about September 11. Not going to happen though.

[CheneyChick]

My reaction to that is similar to FRed's in this picture:

[Numbers Guy]

Methinks one smart bomb aimed right for the wazoo of this particular mouthy Talitubby wouldn't be a bad idea.

[TexasRedeye]

"This is not our problem."

This guy's has been at the poppies again!

[Cachelot]

I'm sure they'd be better off if we would all forget about September 11.

No problem. As soon as Islam is only a whiff of a bad memory, Mecca a stretch of empty dunes and their heathen stone (and a suitably unflattering Mohammed) has been moved into the horror basement of Mme. Tussauds.

[blam]

Just kill'em!

[Go Gordon]

These folks are pathetic.

[cpdiii]

When hell freezes over and probably not even then.

[Mr. Mulliner]

This guy's has been at the poppies again!

Either that or they think that we all have been.

[BibChr]

Has JAMES CARVILLE been advising them on PR issues?

Dan

[packrat01]

You should forget the Sept. 11 attacks because now there is a new fighting against Muslims and Islam

We should remember the Sept. 11 attacks because there is fighting against vermin and varmints

[lavaroise]

Forget they are the agressors, how convenient for them.

[GOPJ]

The key is getting Osama. The reward being offered is not working.

What poor dirt farmer Muslim is going to believe in a 25 million dollar bounty? The Taliban are making fun of us. The counter offer for Bush is a slap in the face.

They're saying only a fool believes anyone will get that much money. They're saying we're lying.

To start we must counter this by offering a smaller amount for any information and then paying it. Next, announce when he's captured, the city he was captured in, or the one closest to that point will receive five million dollars to be split between all residents. An equal share for every man and woman over the age of 14, and a half share for every child under 14. Last ten million for the man or group that catches or turns him over.

Trust me, they'll start buying on credit, and Osama's days will be numbered.

[Cobra64]

It is time to "forget" about the Sept. 11 terror attacks in the United States, a Taliban spokesman said...

He's got a better chance of catching polio than thinking Americans will forget 9-11.

[Mr. Mulliner]

Why does this remind me of Rodney King: "Can't we all just get along?"

[kachina]

[America's Resolve]

Not in the lifetime of THIS universe!

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

However, Agha told a group of foreign journalists in this southern border town that Sept. 11 was "America's problem" because it was carried out by people in the United States and that the Taliban was not responsible.

By that brilliant logic, Pearl Harbor should have been regarded as a "Hawaiian Problem."