December 26, 2000

US Official Links USS Cole Bombing To Bin Laden Plan - December 25
WASHINGTON (AP)--President Clinton's top terrorism adviser says the deadly bombing of the USS Cole appears to have originated in a plan by Osama bin Laden to hit U.S.

Pakistan insists on extradition of criminals from Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD, December 26 (Itar-Tass) - Islamabad will press on the Talibs for the extradition of all the dangerous criminals, who had committed terroristic acts and other grave offences in Pakistan,

Rocket damages army staff college building - DAWN
QUETTA, Dec 25: A rocket hit an army staff college building late Monday but caused no casualties, official sources said. They said the roof of a classroom collapsed as a result of the rocket strike

We want Taliban-type Govt in Pak: Convicted Harkat man
The Hindustan Times 12-25-2000 Prabhu Razdan
A HARDCORE militant of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM), Abdul Mateen, who is lodged in Jaipur Central Jail, said his organisation wants a Taliban-type Government in Pakistan.

Taleban appeal to Annan - Bahrain Tribune
KABUL: Afghanistanís Taleban regime Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Mutawakel yesterday urged United Nations Secretary Gereral Kofi Annan to block tough sanctions already passed

Off-target sanctions - Boston Globe Editorial 12/26/2000
FGHANISTAN HAS become the site of terrible human suffering. The country is wracked by internecine warfare that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and by drought, hunger,

Russia, Iran to discuss restoration of military ties
MOSCOW, December 26 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev will hold a number of meetings with the Iranian leadership to discuss the restoration of bilateral military ties

Japan grants refugee status to Afghan man
OSAKA, Dec. 26 (Kyodo) - Japan has granted refugee status to a man who fled to Japan from Afghanistan to escape persecution, a Catholic group which has been supporting him said Tuesday.

Gangsters plan to seize Bin Laden Lahore - Gulf News, Dec. 23, 2000
By Abdullah Iqbal
A powerful group of Lahore gang-land mafias is considering the possibility of launching an effort to grab Osama bin Laden, the man who is Washington's "most wanted" terrorist.

Pakistanis fear growing influence of radical Islam
Women facing opposition from group
BY PAMELA CONSTABLE - Washington Post Service 12/24
KARACHI, Pakistan -- Sitting primly in the front seats of grubby urban buses, tickets clutched in their laps and pink uniform scarves draped over their heads, the female conductors of the New Shandaar transport company seem unlikely targets of religious outrage.

Uzbek-Italian talks focus on Afghanistan
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Dec 21, 2000
Tashkent, 21 December: The excellent state of bilateral relations between Italy and Uzbekistan was underlined by Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini and his Uzbek counterpart, Abdulaziz Komilov

Taleban leader declines Bin Ladin's offer to leave Afghanistan - paper
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Dec 19, 2000
Islamabad: Usamah Bin Ladin has once again offered to [Taleban leader] Mola Omar that he [Bin Ladin] is ready to move to another country to save

Pakistani politicians describe UN Afghan sanctions US, Russian "plot"
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Dec 21, 2000
Text of report by Pakistani newspaper Ausaf on 20 December
Islamabad: Terming the proposed Security Council sanctions against Afghanistan extremely dangerous, foreign and defence affairs experts and analysts said the blockade of Afghanistan would mean that Pakistan would be