"American in Isreal" has also posted a great analysis that everyone should read HERE.
Posted on 09/18/2001 4:00:15 AM PDT by Joe Brower
Taliban declare holy war on US
• 'Conditions' for Bin Laden handover
• Foreign leaders head for US
• Afghans told 'prepare for conflict'
Tuesday September 18, 2001
The Taliban, Afghanistan's ruling militia, today declared a holy war against the United States.
Throughout Afghanistan on Monday, the Taliban were sending a message to their people: "Stay united and prepare for jihad against US invaders."
They said that the Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden, who has been living in Afghanistan since 1996, has been wrongly implicated in last week's the attacks on New York and Washington.
"The accusations against Osama bin Laden are baseless and a pretext to attack Afghanistan," the country's official news agency reported.
But there were also reports in Pakistan that the Taliban are prepared to hand over Bin Laden on certain conditions: that he is put on trial in a neutral court; that sanctions on Afghanistan are lifted; and that the US gives economic aid.
Bin Laden, who also is wanted by the US in connection with the bombing of two US embassies in east Africa in 1998, is Washington's prime suspect for last week's attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.
The US accuses him of running a global terrorist network from his bases inside Afghanistan.
Within hours of the strike, the Taliban's foreign minister, Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil, condemned the violence. He said that it would have been impossible for Bin Laden to carry out the assaults, as he did not have the facilities for such an elaborate operation.
Since then, the Taliban's leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, has defended Bin Laden and accused the US of singling him out because its investigators have been unable to come up with a real suspect.
The Taliban have always refused to extradite Bin Laden, calling him a "guest" and saying that to hand him over to non-Muslims would betray a tenet of Islam. Since taking control of most of Afghanistan in 1996, the Taliban have declared holy wars against the anti-Taliban opposition alliance, Russia and Iran, but never the US.
Dozens of Islamic clerics were today meeting in Kabul to decide whether Bin Laden can be handed over to the US, in line with a request being made by a Pakistani delegation.
The Pakistani team, led by the head of the country's powerful secret service, met Mullah Omar yesterday to deliver a blunt warning to the Taliban: either hand over Bin Laden or be sure to be attacked by a multinational military force, led by the US.
Foreign leaders converge on Washington
A procession of foreign leaders, starting with the president of France and South Korea's foreign minister, are visiting Washington this week to extend sympathy for America and compare notes on how the US and the world should respond.
The Korean foreign minister, Han Seung-soo, president of the UN general assembly, is first in line with meeting today with the US secretary of state, Colin Powell. The French president, Jacques Chirac, will arrive later today for dinner with the US president, George Bush. Mr Chirac is expected to emphasise his commitment to fighting terrorism during the discussions.
Mr Powell has taken charge of a diplomatic drive to line up support for a wide range of actions, including political, economic and military measures.
"I am pleased that the coalition is coming together," he said. "I think everybody recognises that this challenge is one that went far beyond America, far beyond New York City and far beyond Washington," he said.
The prime minister, Tony Blair, the foreign ministers of Russia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, China and Italy and leading officials from the European Union will be in Washington late this week.
The Indonesian president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, leader of the world's most populous Muslim nation, left the capital, Jakarta, yesterday for a Washington visit. Her government condemned the attacks and expressed condolences to the American people, but, after her departure, the vice president, Hamzah Haz, said the terrorist attacks could "cleanse the sins of the United States".
The US ambassador to Indonesia, Robert Gelbard, said he was dismayed by Mr Haz's comments.
"American in Isreal" has also posted a great analysis that everyone should read HERE.
Afghanistan's Taliban rulers have reportedly denied a claim that they had declared Holy War on the US
Media around the world had reported that Afghan radio was carrying reports of a declaration of "holy war", or jihad, against the States. New reports say this is not the case.
The leader of Afghanistan's Taliban regime Mullah Mohammad Omar says a grand council of Islamic clerics will meet to decide Osama bin Laden's fate today.
Holy War! You want a Holy War? Can you say thermo nuclear weapons? Folks better start printing out maps of Afganistan to remind themselves where it used to be. Of course, it will be easy to spot from space. It will be the country that glows at night.
Who are the Taliban to give conditions to the U.S.?
Nuetral court? Sure, the federal court of the United States. Innocent until proven guilty.
Sanctions lifted? Sure, just as soon as the Taliban is removed from power.
Economic aid? They can suck their economic aid from my ____.
Israel, no doubt, is at "Holy" war.
I also think that the Muslims are still fighting the Christians in the Muluku Islands of Indonesia.
What about Salmon Rushdie? Is that a holy war or a holy contract?
Wait a sec, are we still at Holy War with Iran? I don't seem to remember a Holy Peace being declared after the hostage crisis twenty years ago.
Holy Mackeral, this is confusing.
Mustard
Sickos.
ROFL! LMAO ...hahaha...
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