KANDAHAR, Nov 8 (IslamOnline) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban have granted Afghan nationality to Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden and his companions, Taliban sources told IslamOnline Thursday.
Others who have been granted Afghan nationality include four Egyptians: the chief of defunct Islamic Jihad, Ayman Al-Zawahri; another Islamic Jihad leader, Sheikh Asim Abdul Rehman; operational commander of al-Qa'eda, Saif-ul-Adil Abu Hafz; and deputy operational commander Muhammad Atef.
"[The] Taliban have decided to grant Afghan nationality to Osama and his colleagues," the official said, "because they think that after the U.S. bombing and killing of innocent civilians, there was no possibility of bin Laden being handed over to America. Now he is not our guest. He is the citizen of Afghanistan and we will not hand him over to the USA in any case."
The Egyptian government has already terminated the nationality of the four Egyptians, sources said.
Al-Zawahri and others have been put on the U.S.'s "Most Wanted" list in connection with the deadly September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The U.S. has offered large rewards for any information leading to the arrest of the respective fugitives.
The proposal of granting Afghan nationality to bin Laden and others came under consideration after the U.S.-led military campaign on Afghanistan, a Taliban official said.
This is not the first time that Arabs have been awarded Afghan nationality.
The Taliban official also claimed that former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani also granted nationality to some 604 Arab
mujahiddeen [fighters] during his tenure.
It is unclear if the new Afghan nationality has been granted to bin Laden upon his request, or if the move
is an independent Taliban decision.
