January 24, 2000

Indian defence minister alleges Taleban role in Christmas hijacking
Monday, January 24 11:17 PM SGT
NEW DELHI, Jan 24 (AFP) - Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes Monday accused Afghanistan's Taliban regime of involvement in the hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane.

Chechnya's lone embassy awaits ambassador
03:44 a.m. Jan 24, 2000 Eastern
By Scott McDonald
KABUL, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Chechnya's only embassy in the world is tucked away behind a chipped brown door across from a shop selling fake flowers in Afghanistan's war-torn capital Kabul.

Afghan Taleban says will never expel bin Laden
09:46 a.m. Jan 24, 2000 Eastern
By Raja Asghar
ISLAMABAD, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taleban movement said on Monday it would not bow to mounting U.S.-led international pressure to expel Saudi-born terrorism suspect Osama bin Laden.

Talibs pledge to help Maskhadov government
Monday, January 24, 2000 5:22 PM EST
ISLAMABAD, January 25 (Itar-Tass) - The Taliban movement of Afghanistan has pledged to render all kind of support to the secessionist government of Chechen President Aslan Maskhadov after the sides coordiante the issue via diplomatic

Afghan Taliban Wait to See U.N. Initiative
Monday, January 24, 2000 11:59 AM EST
ISLAMABAD (Jan. 24) XINHUA - Afghan Taliban's Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil said Monday that the militia were waiting to see possible new steps taken by the United Nations for peace in his country.

Pakistan pushed for peace in Afghanistan
Monday, January 24 8:17 PM SGT
ISLAMABAD, Jan 24 (AFP) - Pakistan's Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar Monday pressed his Afghan Taliban counterpart Wakil Ahamd Mutawakel to bring peace to war-torn Afghanistan.

Tajikistan, Afghan sign agreement for cooperation in water, power sector
TEHRAN (NNI): Afghanistan and Tajikistan have signed an agreement for cooperation in the field of water and power.

A campaign to control smuggling
Dawn
By Sultan Ahmed
The military regime is launching a drive to eliminate massive smuggling in order to earn larger revenues, protect the manufacturing sector and bona fide traders and root out the criminals passing as traders.

Afghan FM to hold talks on transit trade, Osama
Dawn
ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: Afghan Foreign Minister Maulvi Wakil Ahmed Mutawakil arrived here on Sunday on a three-day official visit to Pakistan.

US slammed for demanding ban on jihadi organisations
ISLAMABAD (NNI): Religio-political parties have rejected Americas demand to ban the jihadi organisations, terming it as an interference in Pakistans internal matters.

Schools for holy warriors may face lesson of their own
by ZAHID HUSSAIN in Islamabad
South China Morning Post
Darul-Uloom-Haqqania is one of the biggest Islamic religious schools in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.

US prosecutors reveal strands of Osama's web of terrorism
The Straights Times
In court papers, the government shows how the Saudi dissident uses covert methods to conduct his operations and to keep in touch with his network.

A "Clash of Civilisation"?
By Brig (Rtd) M Abdul Hafiz
The Daily Star (Bangladesh)
PERSPECTIVES
At the end of eighteenth century the Russians, in their long process of empire state building intruded into what is today the North Caucasian republic of Chechnya - then an idyllic abode for the meditating Sufi branch of Sunnite Muslims. The Russian

Report: Jihad Leader Overthrown
Sunday, January 23, 2000 3:57 PM EST
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) -- A close confidant of Osama bin Laden and a leader of the Muslim militant group Jihad has been overthrown by his followers, the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper reported Sunday.