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Bin Laden Not Allowed to Use Afghan Soil Against U.S.
KABUL, June 24 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The Taliban regime said Sunday it was watching the activities of Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden and that he would not be allowed to launch attacks on foreign targets from Afghanistan.
"All Osama activities are under control. He has no facilities to use Afghan territory against any country," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Usman Sheryar said.
The United States issued a warning Saturday to its citizens and put its naval fleet on alert following threats of attacks against U.S. interests by forces linked to bin Laden.
It followed reports from the Middle East that fighters of the Saudi-born dissident, who lives in Afghanistan, were preparing to strike U.S. and Israeli interests around the world.
Dubai's satellite television station, Middle East Broadcasting Center, on Saturday reported that bin Laden's fighters were "on a state of alert".
"I met with Bin Laden near Kandahar (Afghanistan) over the last few days, and his main supporters said in front of him that there will be a big surprise over the next two weeks," a correspondent for the Arab television station said.
"It will be a hard hit against U.S. and Israeli targets across the world." But Sheryar dismissed the report saying he doubted its credibility.
"Osama has got no facilities to give interviews or chat with somebody," Sheryar said.
He also dismissed reports of footage said to have been prepared and released by bin Laden praising the attack on U.S. destroyer USS Cole as a "victory".
Bin Laden himself reportedly appears on the tape calling on his followers to strike against Western and Jewish interests worldwide.
"The film shown could have been skills of the cameraman. This film could be a forged one," said Sheryar.
He also dismissed fears that U.S. naval forces, which have been put on the highest anti-terrorist alert, may attack Afghanistan.
"We have no concerns that U.S. forces may attack Afghanistan. We are sure Allah Almighty will support the Afghan people," Sheryar said.
"Osama is a guest of Afghans in Afghanistan. He is not involved in any activity against any country."
"I cannot think the U.S. would attack Afghanistan and repeat its previous mistake."
The U.S. launched a cruise missile attack against bin Laden's suspected camps in eastern Afghanistan's Khost district on August 20, 1998.
Twenty people were killed in the attack but the wealthy Saudi dissident escaped unhurt.
The cruise missiles were fired after the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in which more than 200 people were killed and thousands wounded.
The U.S. investigators hold bin Laden responsible for the August 7, 1998 twin bombings and last year's October 12 attack on the USS Cole at Aden, Yemen, in which 17 sailors were killed.
The Taliban militia, which controls most of war-ravaged Afghanistan, has refused to extradite bin Laden to stand trial in the United States, despite U.N. sanctions over its alleged involvement in terrorism.
Six U.S. ships were put to sea Friday from Bahrain, headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.
And a Marine Corps exercise was cancelled in Jordan after Army General Tommy Franks placed U.S. forces in the region on the highest anti-terrorist alert, "Threatcon Delta."
The Pentagon declined to give further details on Saturday. "We don't discuss our ships' movements for security reasons," said Pentagon spokeswoman Lieutenant Commander Dawn Cutler.
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