September 27, 2001

U.S. boosts air security as Taliban reaches bin Laden
By Steve Holland and Jack Redden
Friday September 28, 5:50 AM
WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Seeking to coax Americans back to the skies after deadly hijack attacks on major U.S. landmarks, the United States

Taliban says edict believed given to bin Laden
By Sheree Sardar
Friday September 28, 2:01 AM
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Taliban Information Minister Qudrutullah Jamal said on Thursday that he believed an edict from clerics asking Osama

Iraq says no contact with bin Laden or Taliban
Friday September 28, 1:45 AM
LONDON (Reuters) - Iraq has no contact with Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the suicide attacks in New York and Washington, nor with Afghanistan's

US pledges support for Afghan refugees as UN appeals for assistance
Friday September 28, 4:39 AM
WASHINGTON, Sept 27 (AFP) - The United States said it would repsond generously to a new UN appeal launched Thursday for 584 million dollars to help avert

US will not back Jesse Jackson peace mission to Afghanistan
Thursday September 27, 10:49 PM
www.airfrance.com.sgWASHINGTON, Sept 27 (AFP) - The United States has no interest in backing a proposed mission to Afghanistan by civil rights leader Jesse Jackson

UN sees role for Taliban in new Afghan government
ISLAMABAD, Sept 27 (AFP) - The United Nations sees a role for Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia in any new government arising out of the current crisis

Military Strike Not Imminent, Officials Say
Need for Allies And Intelligence Slows Response
By Alan Sipress and Thomas E. Ricks Washington Post, Sept 27, 2001
Bush administration officials said yesterday that a military strike against sama bin Laden and his supporters in Afghanistan is not imminent

Blow to US hopes for backing from key border countries
Thursday September 27, 2001 - The Guardian
Pakistan Fears grow over role of rebels - Rory McCarthy in Islamabad
Cracks were appearing last night in Pakistan's support for the US as doubts mounted over plans to use Afghanistan's opposition forces to overthrow the Taliban regime.

Pakistan Fights U.S. Move Linked to Anti-Taliban Drive
The New York Times, September 26, 2001 - JOHN F. BURNS
Even before concerted diplomatic efforts could get under way, Pakistan made clear today that it would oppose any plan to couple an American-led military

The assassins and drug dealers now helping US Intelligence
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON) - September 26, 2001
Rahul Bedi in New Delhi
PAKISTAN'S shadowy intelligence service, one of the main sources of information for the US-led alliance against the Taliban regime, is widely associated

The brazen face of terror:
THE HINDU - 9/27/01-
Faceless enemy Though well-entrenched and adequately funded, the fundamentalist terrorist machine can be contained, says BHARAT VERMA.

Five years after victory, Taliban vows to keep grip on power
ISLAMABAD, Sept 27 (AFP) - Five years to the day after the Taliban seized power, moves to oust the Islamic regime that rules Afghanistan accelerated on Thursday with fresh approaches

US, Pakistan will track down bin Laden together
ISLAMABAD, Sept 27 (AFP) - Washington and Islamabad agreed Thursday to cooperate in tracking down suspected terror mastermind Osama bin Laden, sources said, one day after Washington

Afghan opposition welcomes foreign "contributions," says no monarchy
TEHRAN, Sept 27 (AFP) - Afghan opposition foreign affairs spokesman Abdullah Abdullah said there was "no question of a return to the monarchy" in Afghanistan and welcomed foreign aid to help

Afghan opposition looks to avoid feuds in post-Taliban future
JABAL SERAJ, Afghanistan, Sept 27 (AFP) - Sensing the end of the Taliban regime, the fragmented Afghan opposition has begun to prepare for a return to power, determined to avoid the bloody feuds of the past.

Taliban the target: French PM
PARIS, Sept 27 (AFP) - Afghanistan has become a "sanctuary of terrorism" and therefore the main target of the impending western retaliation for the terrorist blitz on the United States

Saudi decision seen dampening Taliban support in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Sept 27 (AFP) - Saudi Arabia's decision to snap diplomatic ties with the Taliban is likely to dampen Pakistani religious party support for the Islamic militia in Afghanistan, analysts said.

UN asks Afghanistan donor conference for more aid
By Emma Thomasson
BERLIN, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations and other aid organisations made a plea for more aid for Afghanistan on Thursday at an emergency meeting of donor nations in Berlin called

US actress Jolie donates one million dollars to Afghan refugees
GENEVA, Sept 27 (AFP) - US actress Angelina Jolie, recently appointed goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is donating one million

Ex-king of Afghanistan is king of the currencies
By Scott McDonald
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Mohammad Zahir Shah may be the ex-king of Afghanistan, but he was still the king of the currencies on Thursday as the war-ravaged country

U.S. shuns Taliban's sole ambassador
ISLAMABAD, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Life for the last Taliban ambassador is becoming decidedly lonely. Before the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington blamed on Afghanistan's "guest"

Ex-Afghan king backs strike on Taliban - paper
DUBAI, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Afghanistan's exiled king said in remarks published on Thursday that he would support a foreign military attack to rid his homeland of the ruling Taliban movement,

ANALYSIS-No deep U.S. partnership for Afghan opposition
By Peter Graff
JABAL-US-SARAJ, Afghanistan, Sept 27 (Reuters) - If the United States foresees an alliance with the anti-Taliban forces in northern Afghanistan, it is not giving them much encouragement.

Fear grips Kabul five years after Taliban capture
By Jack Redden
ISLAMABAD, Sept 27 (Reuters) - There was little for either the citizens of Kabul or the Taliban to celebrate on Thursday, exactly five years after the austere Islamic movement seized the Afghan capital and promised peace.

Pakistani religious delegation to visit Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 27 (Kyodo) - The Afghan Defense Council, a grouping of major Pakistani religious parties and militant groups supporting Afghanistan

Afghan rebels to get reliable Soviet arms-Ivanov
MOSCOW, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Russia will supply Afghan rebels with old Soviet weapons best suited to the harsh Afghanistan terrain rather than new top-of-the-range

Divided Pakistan plans solidarity day on Afghanistan
By Scott McDonald
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Pakistan ended talks with a U.S. military team and geared up on Thursday for what officials call a day of solidarity

Hard choice faces Muslim fighters who go to Afghanistan
By Ovais Subhani
QUETTA, Pakistan, Sept 27 (Reuters) - You have a choice. Continue to fight holy war in Kashmir. Or go to Afghanistan to defend the Taliban and face

UN sees food shipments to Afghanistan in few days
ROME, Sept 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations expects to resume food aid shipments to Afghanistan in a few days' time and hopes to reach at least 300,000 people