Pakistan satisfied with US evidence
It is the first Muslim country to declare that the US has enough evidence to indict Osama bin Laden for Sept 11 attacks
By By Louise Branson
STRAITS TIMES UNITED STATES BUREAU
straitstimes.asia1.com.sg
WASHINGTON - The United States yesterday won critical support from Nato and Pakistan as it builds up its case for a military strike against Afghanistan.
In Islamabad, the Pakistani government dealt a blow to Afghanistan's Taleban rulers yesterday with its finding that the evidence provided by the US against Osama bin Laden was sufficient to indict him for the Sept 11 terrorist attacks.
The statement by a Foreign Ministry spokesman marked the first time that an Islamic country has backed US claims of evidence against Osama, the Saudi-born terrorist suspect who is being sheltered by the Taleban.
The US yesterday also secured Nato approval for its request for specific military contributions in its campaign against terrorism.
The decision backs up earlier pledges of military hardware and intelligence.
'Today's decision demonstrates clearly the allies' resolve to combat terrorism,' Nato Secretary-General Lord Robertson said in Brussels. He added that the allies' commitments were 'clearly not time-limited'.
The US requests included access to its members' ports, air space and air facilities.
Italy's Foreign Minister Renato Ruggiero said the allies were also asked for their help in providing financial aid to Pakistan and other countries involved in the war on terrorism.
The Nato approval yesterday came two days after the allies formally invoked its Article 5, which states that an attack against one member is an attack against all.
Moving on yet another diplomatic front yesterday, US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld travelled to Oman and Egypt on the second leg of a tour to rally Arab support for military strikes against the Taleban.
Mr Rumsfeld met Oman's ruler Sultan Qaboos at a palace near Muscat yesterday to discuss how his country, within striking distance of Afghanistan, could help target those behind last month's attacks on US cities.
He is said to have discussed the possible 'staging' of US aircraft at Oman's air bases. Mr Rumsfeld later left for Egypt. From there he will travel to the Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan.
His trip - much like one taken by top military officials prior to the Gulf War - is seen as a critical part of boosting support and finalising military arrangements for attacks on targets in Afghanistan.
In the first, and most sensitive, part of his tour on Wednesday, he held talks in Saudi Arabia with Defence Minister Prince Sultan, Crown Prince Abdullah, and King Fahd.
Each of the four countries Mr Rumsfeld is visiting is militarily important to the campaign and can also provide intelligence which could help target Osama and his Al-Qaeda network. |
