December 21, 1999

Taleban tells U.S. bin Laden has no attack plans
05:08 a.m. Dec 21, 1999 Eastern
By Raja Asghar
ISLAMABAD, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taleban movement said on Tuesday it had assured the United States that Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden, one of America's most wanted men, had no plans to attack Americans.

Osama bin Laden 'cut off'
BBC
Afghanistan's ruling Taleban have said that Saudi militant Osama bin Laden cannot plan any attacks because they have removed his access to telephone and fax machines.

Bin Laden has no means of communication: Taliban
ISLAMABAD, Dec 21 (AFP) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia said Tuesday they have taken away all access to telephone and fax machines from indicted terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Pakistan ready to help over bin Laden: interior minister
KARACHI, Dec 21 (AFP) - Pakistan is ready to help resolve the row between the United States and Afghanistan over indicted terrorist Osama bin Laden, Pakistan's interior minister told AFP.

U.S. says Pakistan arrests not ``terorism''-related
02:34 p.m Dec 20, 1999 Eastern
WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - The White House said on Monday that a wave of arrests reported in Pakistan at the weekend was aimed at domestic crime and did not appear to be related to an international crackdown on ``terrorist'' suspects

Afghan Taliban Reject US Letter on Osama
Tuesday, December 21, 1999 4:05 AM EST
ISLAMABAD (Dec. 21) XINHUA - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban Tuesday released a public statement which said the alleged terrorist Osama bin Laden is impossible to carry out terrorist activities as feared by the United States.

Taliban Rejects US Terrorist Claims
Tuesday, December 21, 1999 9:29 AM EST
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- The Taliban today rejected U.S. claims that suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden is planning attacks from Afghanistan and urged the United States to ``resolve this issue rationally.''

Afghan Opposition Says Taliban Violate Ramazan Cease-fire
Monday, December 20, 1999 11:18 AM EST
ISLAMABAD (Dec. 20) XINHUA - Despite pledges to honor a Ramazan cease-fire, the Taliban militia have recently launched a number of offensives in northern Afghan provinces in an attempt to remove opposition forces from their bases, an

Taliban set terms for talks with opposition
Dawn
ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia on Monday reiterated its readiness for talks with the opposition but demanded recognition as a pre-requisite, the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) news agency reported.

Rafsanjani meets anti-Taleban leader
The former Iranian President, Hashemi Rafsanjani, has held talks in Tehran with the ousted President of neighbouring Afghanistan, Burhanuddin Rabbani.

Afghanistan's Taliban punish 39 beard-trimmers: report
KABUL, Dec 21 (AFP) - Afghanistan's Taliban religious police have punished 39 beard-trimmers here in recent days, the official Radio Shariat said Tuesday.

Iran urges more U.N. efforts to end Afghan war
07:39 a.m. Dec 21, 1999 Eastern
TEHRAN, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami called on Tuesday for more efforts by the United Nations to end the civil war in neighbouring Afghanistan, Iran's news agency IRNA reported.

Pakistan denies arrest of Afghan nationals
BBC
The Pakistan Government has strongly denied reports of a mass arrest of Afghan nationals.

Reconciliation in Afghanistan
Iran awaiting concrete steps from Islamabad
Frontier Post
TEHERAN (AFP) - Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani  said Monday Iran was waiting to see General Pervez Musharraf  take concrete steps to achieve reconciliation in Afghanistan, the official IRNA  agency reported.

Afghan youth advised to refrain from war
Frontier Post
PESHAWAR (Online) - Head of Afghan schools, Azizullah has said that our organisation believes in peace; we wanted peace and stability and we were against the war in Afghanistan.

Taliban to free Afghan opposition prisoner
ISLAMABAD (NNI): The ruling Taliban in Afghanistan have said they are due to exchange 14 prisoners of war with the Afghan opposition.

PAKISTAN ALERT.
AHMED RASHID IN LAHORE.
Pakistan has stepped up security around the country, especially at airports, to prevent a possible international terrorist campaign launched by supporters of the wanted Saudi terrorist Osama Bin Laden. Military authorites said several Afghan living