December 13, 2001

Karzai pledges to bring peace to Afghanistan
Thursday December 13, 8:19 PM AFP
Leader-in-waiting Hamid Karzai promised to bring peace and security to Afghanistan and to "finish terrorism completely", after holding talks here with outgoing president Burhanuddin Rabbani

New Afghan leader readies for power
Thursday, 13 December, 2001, 11:04 GMT BBC News
Mr Karzai will assume power in less than a week
The leader of Afghanistan's new interim government, Hamid Karzai, has arrived in the capital, Kabul, to prepare for the transition of power on 22 December.

US Shows 'Smoking Gun' Video, Al Qaeda Fights On
By Peter Millership and Sebastian Alison
Thursday December 13 6:41 PM ET
WASHINGTON/TORA BORA, Afghanistan (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday released a chilling video it said was the ''smoking gun'' that nailed Osama bin Laden as mastermind of the Sept. 11

U.S. Pounds Al Qaeda, Surrender Deal Collapses
Thursday December 13 7:54 AM ET
By Sebastian Alison
TORA BORA, Afghanistan (Reuters) - U.S. planes blasted eastern Afghan mountain hideouts of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda fighters on Thursday as a fresh deadline for their surrender came and went.

UK to Send Military Team to Kabul at Weekend
Thursday December 13 7:33 AM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's military will send a small team to Kabul at the weekend to talk with Afghan officials and make final checks before deciding on the size

Propaganda vs. Justice
AAR Editorial - 12/13/2001
Some groups in the US and in Pakistan these days equate the Taliban with other Afghan factions who are fighting terrorism and Talibanism in Afghanistan, accusing

Bin Laden Forces Face Ultimatum as Showdown Looms
Thursday December 13 2:19 AM ET
By Paul Holmes and Charles Aldinger
KABUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Trapped fighters loyal to Osama bin Laden faced a surrender-or-die ultimatum on Thursday from U.S.-backed Afghan tribal foes besieging

Afghan Women Campaign in U.S. for Their Rights
By Sue Pleming
Thursday December 13 2:33 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A group of leading Afghan women and U.S. feminist icons took their campaign to Congress on Thursday, urging the U.S. government to link aid to Afghanistan with improved rights for women.

Afghan airline battles for the skies
Wednesday, 12 December, 2001, 15:19 GMT  BBC News
There is little runway left to land on at Kabul
By BBC News Online's Marcus George in Afghanistan
I was sitting in the office of the acting president of Ariana Airlines as the radio squawked away.

Afghan Women Cautious of New Liberties
By V.K. Malhotra ABCNEWS.com
Thursday December 13 09:52 AM EST
Although Afghan women face new liberties, memories of oppression live.
For the last few years, the women of Afghanistan have lived under the harsh laws of the Taliban, but for centuries, they have also lived under the harsh laws of their society.

Australian Taliban fighter dabbled in satanism
Thursday December 13, 3:52 PM  AFP
David Hicks, the Australian captured fighting for the Taliban, dabbled in drugs, had an obsession with satanism and was nicknamed Indiana Jones because of his penchant

U.S. to Release 'Smoking Gun' Bin Laden Videotape
Thursday, December 13, 2001 10:00 AM EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday will release a videotape of Osama bin Laden that officials said provides compelling evidence the fugitive militant

Afghan Hospital Arabs Issue Threat
Thursday, December 13, 2001 9:18 AM EST
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) -- Fearing retribution, 13 injured Arab fighters were holed up Thursday at the city's main hospital, threatening to blow themselves up if anyone

Britain Says Bin Laden Still in Afghanistan
Thursday, December 13, 2001 8:35 AM EST
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain dismissed on Thursday media reports that Osama bin Laden had fled to Pakistan to escapeU.S.-led military strikes on his stronghold in Afghanistan.

Pakistani Helicopters Hover at Border
Thursday, December 13, 2001 8:08 AM EST
TIRAH VALLEY, Pakistan (AP) -- Pakistani military helicopters hovered at the border with Afghanistan and hundreds of soldiers patrolled the narrow mountain trails Thursday

Bombs Have Killed 3 Qaeda Leaders, U.S. Now Believes
Thursday December 13, 2001 -  09:07 AM EST
By JAMES RISEN The New York Times
Intelligence officials said on Wednesday that three senior Qaeda leaders had been killed and that Osama bin Laden remains holed up in eastern Afghanistan.

Afghan Hospital Arabs Issue Threat
Thursday, December 13, 2001 9:18 AM EST
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) -- Fearing retribution, 13 injured Arab fighters were holed up Thursday at the city's main hospital, threatening to blow themselves up if anyone other than

Bin Laden 'flees and sends his son instead'
By Philip Smucker near Tora Bora
The Daily Telegraph (UK)  December 13, 2001
OSAMA BIN LADEN left the besieged Tora Bora base for Pakistan 10 days ago with the help of local tribesmen, one of his senior and most trusted aides said yesterday.

'Some al-Qaeda fighters slip into Pakistan'
The News: Jang (Pakistan) December 13, 2001
ISLAMABAD: A small number of al-Qaeda fighters loyal to Osama bin Laden are believed to have escaped into Pakistan from the eastern Afghan mountains, a US spokesman said Wednesday.

Omar doesn't live here any more
Compound holds clues to contradictions of Taliban's leader
Peter Beaumont in Kandahar
Thursday December 13, 2001  The Guardian (UK)
Mullah Mohammed Omar liked to tell his people that he was a simple man. The picture he presented to the few visitors he received in Kandahar was that of a holy man of ascetic habits.