September 8, 2001

Christian prisoners plead innocence in Taliban court
Saturday September 8, 10:52 PM
By Tahir Ikram
KABUL (Reuters) - Eight foreign aid workers on trial for promoting Christianity in Islamic Afghanistan appeared for the first time on Saturday in the ruling Taliban's Supreme Court

Aid worker attacks Taleban trial
BBC News
Georg Taubmann: "What have we done?"
One of the eight detained foreign aid workers accused of promoting Christianity in Afghanistan has launched a strongly-worded attack on the investigation against them.

Trial of foreigners resumes in Afghanistan
KABUL, Sept 8 (AFP) - The trial of eight foreign aid workers charged with preaching Chrstianity in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan opened for the fourth day Saturday

United States Urges Swift, Fair Afghan Trial
Saturday September 8 1:27 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The State Department called for speedy justice on Saturday for eight foreign aid workers on trial for promoting Christianity in strictly Islamic Afghanistan.

Powerful Bomb Blast Rocks Afghan Taliban Ministry
Saturday September 8 7:30 AM ET
KABUL (Reuters) - An unknown number of people were wounded when a powerful bomb exploded in Kabul on Saturday inside the interior ministry of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban

Afghan Taliban Claim Gains in Fierce Fighting
Saturday, September 08, 2001 9:41 AM EST
KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban claimed on Saturday to have driven opposition fighters from two districts northeast of the capital Kabul after several days

Heavy fighting erupts in northeastern areas
Updated on 9/8/2001 10:52:09 AM
Frontier Post
KABUL (Agencies): A series of multi-prong attacks were launched by Northern Alliance forces in the northeastern Takhar province in a bid to lay siege to Taloqan

Pakistan Says Engage Afghan Taliban for Peace
By Andy Soloman
Friday September 7 12:38 PM ET
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Afghanistan  ruling Taliban should be engaged rather than shunned if the world community wants to help bring peace and stability to the war-ravaged country

Indonesia to restrict arrivals of Afghans, Iranians, Iraqis
JAKARTA, Sept 8 (AFP) - Indonesia has decided to curb the number of arrivals from Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran in a bid to stem an overwhelming flow of mostly Australia-bound

Berlin seeks Pakistan's secret service help for arrested Germans
 Berlin, September 8, IRNA --  Germany is seeking the help of the Pakistani intelligence service (ISI) in connection with the detainment of four German relief workers for promoting Christianity

Afghanistan is core issue
Najam Sethi's
The Friday Times E d i t o r i a l
The travails of the Afghan people and the turmoil in Kabul under the Taleban continue to cast their shadow over Pakistan. But the Islamabad establishment refuses to

Loya Jirga back in circulation: Afghan issue
By Syed Talat Hussain - DAWN
ISLAMABAD, Sept 6: Tired of the fighting inside Afghanistan and intransigence of the Taliban, the international community is yet again contemplating the old idea of organizing Loya Jirga

Afghans present aid team's sins, complete with theology lesson
By Barry Bearak, The New York Times - September 7, 01
ABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 6 ? Most foreign ministers do not begin news conferences with religious commentary, but Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil seemed compelled today

Top cleric refuses envying Taliban's brand of Islam
Shiraz, Iran, Sept 7, IRNA -- An influential cleric in this southern Iranian city has rejected Taliban-style brand of Islam and security, noting that one should not envy them

Islamic NGOs replacing Western groups in Kabul
Updated on 9/8/2001 10:52:09 AM
Frontier Post
KABUL (Agencies): Before giving away five freshly baked pieces of bread, Atta Mohammed carefully studied the soiled white card offered up by a small boy.

New wave of cholera breaks out in Afghanistan
Updated on 9/8/2001 10:52:09 AM
Frontier Post
F P ReportPESHAWAR: Herat regional hospital laboratory confirmed two cases of suspected cholera, and 25 people with diarrhoea and dehydration were admitted

Australia urges Indonesia to build asylum camp
Updated on 9/8/2001 10:52:09 AM
Frontier Post
CANBERRA (Agencies): Australia will urge Jakarta to let it build a detention centre for asylum seekers in Indonesia in a bid to clamp down on the illegal movement of people

Kharrazi urges Central Asians for cooperation in face of threats
Tashkent, Sept 7, IRNA -- Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi here Friday highlighted the need for safeguarding the stability in Central Asia, particularly in Afghanistan

U.S. asks for legal representation in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, Kyodo - The U.S. State Department on Thursday sent a letter to the Taliban representative in Islamabad asking for legal representation

Pakistanis set up 75 units in Afghanistan
DAWN
KARACHI, Sept 5: Pakistani businessmen have set up at least 75 units, mainly textile factories, engineering and flour mills, in Kabul, Kandhar, Herat and Jalalabad.

Where do we go from here?
Sydney Morning Herald
Afghanistan refugee Mohammed H with the only possession from his homeland, a treasured handkerchief embroidered by his mother, at his flat in Adelaide's northern suburbs.

Left behind: the forgotten women
SMH
As this tide of young men leaves Afghanistan, the women of their generation, who are forced by the Taliban to hide all signs of their individuality under the folds of their burkas

ISI chief in US for talks on terrorism
WASHINGTON (AFP) - A senior Pakistani intelligence officer met US State Department officials in Washington Thursday, to push forward a dialogue on terrorism and security

CIA says Pakistan has 'worst of everything'
By Amir Mateen - Jang/The News
WASHINGTON: The American CIA believes Pakistan is the best example where globalization could cause breakdowns because the country "seems to encompass

Afghan press-in-exile struggles against Taliban
The Friday Times
Iqbal Khattak describes the increasing hardships faced by the exiled Afghan press
The Afghan exiled press based in Peshawar is struggling to survive in the face of a growing economic crunch while pressing both the warring factions?

Afghan refugees are packing up and leaving
TFT
Iqbal Khattak says most refugees want to go back to their homeland rather then going through a screening process to determine their bona fides

Sikhs leading peaceful life in Afghanistan
Updated on 9/8/2001 10:52:09 AM
Frontier Post
JALALABAD (IRIN): Selling fabrics along Jalalabad's Bajazi Street, 30 year-old Manor Singh strikes an imposing figure.

503 Afghans screened out in five days
Updated on 9/8/2001 10:52:09 AM
Frontier Post
PESHAWAR (Agencies): During the last five days the joint government of Pakistan and UNHCR teams have screened 503 cases where in 396 refugees were accepted and 69 rejected.

EU envoy to visit Afghanistan
Updated on 9/8/2001 10:52:09 AM
Frontier Post
ISLAMABAD (Agencies): Poul Nielson, the European Union Commissioner, will visit Afghanistan next week.