Afghan Taleban movement denies training militants

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taleban movement said on Thursday it had never given military training to Arab militants linked to terrorism suspect Osama bin Laden.

Taleban Foreign Minister Wakeel Ahmed Mutawakil was commenting on a Jordanian statement that 13 men arrested there for planning year-end attacks were ``graduates of the academy of terrorism in Afghanistan linked to bin Laden.''

Mutawakil told an independent Afghan news agency that it was possible Arab mujahideen, or holy warriors, had trained to fight the 10-year Soviet occupation that ended a decade ago.

``Everyone including Jordan should be very careful and responsible about what they say.... It is possible that during the Afghan jihad, Arab mujahideen, who were many at that time, received military training,'' he told Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).

``But during our time (since 1996) our government did not give military training to any of them,'' he said.

JORDAN ARRESTS FOLLOW U.S. WARNING

Jordan said the 13 men were planning attacks in the kingdom and were part of a sophisticated cell linked to Saudi-born bin Laden, one of America's most wanted men.

A senior Jordanian source said the 13 -- 11 Jordanians, an Iraqi and an Algerian -- were planning ``terrorist'' attacks after Afghan training.

News of the arrests followed a U.S. warning that it would hold the Taleban responsible for any attacks against Americans by his followers in the year-end holiday season.

Mutawakil said it was strange that bin Laden was held responsible for any activity against Americans anywhere in the world since the United States had many enemies.

Bin Laden, who wants the United States to quit Saudi Arabia, is sought for trial over the August 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania which killed more than 200.

He has lived as a guest of the Taleban, which refuses to extradite him, saying that Washington has provided no proof of his involvement in the African bombings and is using him as a pretext to wage war against radical Islam.

NO COMMUNICATIONS

Mutawakil said bin Laden had no communications facility, was under strict Taleban guard and had promised the Taleban that he would not do anything against anyone.

Asked whether any proof against bin Laden had been provided to the Taleban, Mutawakil said: ``We will take strong action against anyone, be it an Afghan, if there is proof that he is using the Afghan soil against someone.''

Diplomats said that an unknown number of Arab nationals were in Afghanistan and fighting alongside the Taleban in its war to dislodge opposition leader Ahmad Shah Masood from the last 10 percent of the state outside Taleban control.

They said that the Arabs had been seen near a training camp on the outskirts of Kabul and appeared to be part of the Taleban's recruitment of Islamic militants to fight Masood.

The United States has championed a U.N. Security Council resolution that imposed sanctions on Afghanistan until bin Laden is turned over to authorities who will ensure he stands trial.