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Journalism of Courage
KABUL, Feb 13: Alleged Saudi terrorist Osama Bin Laden has “gone missing” and his whereabouts are unknown, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban militia said today.
“About Sheikh Osama, we just heard today that he has gone missing and we have no idea if he is still in Afghanistan or left the country.
“But we have not forced him out,” Taliban spokesman Tayeb Khan, said from Kandahar.
Meanwhile in Karachi, three Pakistani Islamic parties have condemned US pressure on Afghanistan’s Taliban regime to expel Bin Laden, vowing that forces loyal to Islam in the region would protect him.
Umer Farooq, leader of Lahkar-i-Tayaba militant group, told newsmen yesterday that “Mujahideen (Islamic warriors) would sacrifice their lives to defend the hero of Islam.
“The Taliban will never hand over Osama to the enemies of the Islam. He is in safe hands. And if the US tries to take him to their land, they would have to pass over the bodies of Mujahideen,” Farooq said.
Bin Laden has been accused byWashington of masterminding the bombings in August of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that left more than 200 people dead.
Tariq Madani, a central leader of another pro-Taliban militant group, Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, said Bin Laden’s Arab guards would frustrate any attempt to harm him. He said if the Taliban regime bowed to US demands out of a desire to break out of international isolation, it could split the Taliban ranks.
Ghafoor Ahmed, deputy chief of Pakistan’s main fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami, said “the US should stop dictating to Muslim countries, especially the Taliban.
In yet another development, military intelligence reports indicate that Bin Laden has sent military assistance to Philippine Muslim separatist guerrillas, a newspaper reported in Manila today.
The Manila Times quoted confidential intelligence reports as saying Bin Laden had sent funds for arms, ammunition and communications equipment as well as experts to train guerrillas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Thisincluded a visit by a Saudi businessman to an MILF camp in September during which he delivered money that was used to set up a satellite communications system in the camp as well as an Internet website for the MILF.
However, speaking on his weekly radio show Philippine President Joseph Estrada denied ever seeing any military intelligence report on such aid from Bin Laden.
MILF chief Hashim Salamat earlier reportedly admitted that his group received funds from Bin Laden, but that the money had gone to building mosques, health centers and schools in Muslim communities.
