Afghan opposition blames U.S. attacks on "triangle"
A spokesman for an anti-Taliban opposition alliance on Wednesday blamed a "triangle" of interests operating from Afghanistan for the catastrophic terror attacks on the United States.
Abdul Basir Hotak, who represents Afghanistan's U.N.-recognised government in Beijing, named the three elements as exiled Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, Pakistan's military intelligence and the Taliban, who are sheltering bin Laden.
"We are surprised very much that until now the international community do not understand what is the original face of the international terrorism," Hotak told Reuters.
"They are talking only about Osama bin Laden," said Hotak, in reference to speculation about who might be responsible for Tuesday's suicide attacks with hijacked airliners on New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington.
"Without cooperation and without coordination from other sides it is impossible for him to do anything," he said, adding:
"We believe that this is a triangle between Osama bin Laden, ISI, which is the intelligence section of the Pakistani army, and the Taliban."
Hotak called on the international community to adopt a new strategy directed at "the triangle, not Osama bin Laden", to root out terror.
The United States accuses bin Laden, who is sheltered by Afghanistan's Taliban from U.S. justice, of other major terror attacks.
The Taliban have made a point of saying bin Laden had nothing to do with the latest attacks, which President George W. Bush said killed thousands of people.
"The existence of this triangle it is something very, very dangerous for the security and stability in the region and all over the world," Hotak said.
PAKISTAN ACCUSED
The Taliban control some 95 percent of Afghanistan, but are recognised as the legal government by only three countries -- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Hotak accused the Pakistani government of providing military and technical life-support to the hardline Islamic movement and acting as their "key organisers".
"The international community should not forget it and should not ignore it," he said.
The opposition alliance's military commander, Ahmad Shah Masood, made similar accusations in a television interview recorded with private Indian production company AIM Television in August.
"It is mainly Pakistan. I am sure if Pakistan is restrained, Osama bin Laden cannot bring money and a single Arab inside Afghanistan," Masood said, according to a transcript of the interview published on Wednesday in India's The Hindu newspaper.
Masood, the target of a suicide bomb attack inside Afghanistan on Sunday, said that the world had not fully understood the potential threat from the Taliban, both in drug trafficking and terrorism.
"The threat of Taliban in creating instability in the region and in the world has not been well comprehended the way it should have been," he said. "They have created instability in regions and can create problems for the world through Osama bin Laden."
MASOOD "STABLE"
Hotak accused the same alleged "triangle" of masterminding the assassination attempt on Masood.
The guerrilla commander -- reported killed in the blast by several news sources -- was in "stable" condition and recovering in a hospital, according to Hotak.
He said the Arab suicide bombers, who posed as journalists, had travelled from London with one-year Pakistani visas.
"How is it possible to give a one-year visa to a person going for a visit?" he asked. "We don't believe it.
Hotak, whose government could benefit if the United States retaliated against bin Laden bases in Afghanistan, said military actions against his homeland would be justified in concerted action against the Taliban.
"I think military aspects should be included in the new understanding and the new strategy," he added.
But he urged Washington not to move alone in launching direct attacks on bin Laden's bases in Afghanistan, as it did after bomb attacks which killed 224 people at U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.
"Later it was proved that was a mistake because it was launched in an incorrect way," said Hotak. "They should decide together with our government and our people and our country should be included in the strategy. It is very essential." |
