Taliban Leader: Won't Be Pressured By US Over Bin Laden

Tuesday, February 1 5:49 AM SGT

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP)--The president of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia vowed Monday not to be pressured by the U.S. to turn over accused terrorist Osama bin Laden.

Addressing hundreds of students at an Islamic religious school in Pakistan's northern border town of Akora Khattak, 30 miles from Peshawar, Mullah Mohammed Rabbani accused the West, led by the U.S., of uniting against the Muslim world to dictate terms.

"But we will not surrender or be intimidated," he said.

Rabbani, who is president of the Taliban's leadership council, was in Pakistan on an official visit, which will include a meeting Tuesday with Pakistan's army ruler Gen. Pervez Musharraf and President Rafiq Tarar.

The backbone of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan is made up of graduates of religious schools in Pakistan, many of them in the country's deeply conservative Northwest Frontier Province, which borders Afghanistan.

Rabbani referred specifically to the U.N. and U.S. sanctions against the Taliban, who rule 90% of Afghanistan. They are fighting a northern-based opposition on several fronts.

The U.N. imposed limited sanctions against the Taliban last Nov. 14 to press the orthodox militia to hand over bin Laden for trial in the U.S. or a third country on charges of terrorism. Washington banned all trade and investment.

Rabbani said the sanctions have had little effect in Afghanistan, a country battered by 20 years of war.

"We are not dying of hunger. The sanctions have made no difference to our lives," Rabbani said.

Pakistan is one of only three countries to recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan and is considered one of its strongest supporters.

The U.S. has pressed Pakistan to use its influence to have the Taliban hand over bin Laden, who has been living in Afghanistan since 1996.

There was no official word from either Pakistan or Afghanistan whether the issue of bin Laden will be raised in meetings between Rabbani and Pakistani leaders.