White House Rejected Taliban Offer to Put Bin Laden on Trial
WASHINGTON, Oct 7 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Hours before the U.S.-led strikes on Afghanistan began, the White House on Sunday rejected an offer by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to put Osama bin Laden on trial, saying the he must be handed over to U.S. authorities.
"Our demands are very clear. They are not negotiable," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
"It is time for action, not discussions, and the Taliban regime needs to turn over bin Laden and members of his al-Qa'eda network," he said.
In addition, al-Qa'eda training camps in Afghanistan must be shut down and eight foreign aid workers detained in Afghanistan for teaching Christianity must be released, he said.
Earlier Sunday, the Taliban repeated an offer to try bin Laden under Islamic law in Afghanistan if the United States provided evidence linking him to the September 11th terrorist onslaught on the United States.
The Taliban deny that bin Laden had a role in the attacks, and have insisted that as their "guest," he cannot be delivered to his enemies.
Pakistan, the Taliban's main ally until recent weeks, said last week it believed the evidence was sufficient for an indictment.
