Reports are emerging of the arrest of the man suspected of orchestrating the kamikaze attacks on the US.
An Arabic online newspaper is claiming the Taliban have placed Mr Osama bin Laden under house arrest.
Quoting "fundamentalist Arab sources", Ilafsaid: "Taliban have arrested Osama bin Laden before placing him under surveillance with several of his assistants," including the head of the Egyptian branch of Al-Jihad, Mr Ayman Al-Zawahri and Mr bin Laden's military commander, Mr Muhammad Atef Al-Makni.
"A number of Afghan fighters are under house arrest along with bin Laden," said the report. A diplomat at the Taliban's embassy in Abu Dhabi has refused to confirm the report.
"All we know is that he [bin Laden] is somewhere in Afghanistan, but we are not aware if he is under house arrest," the diplomat said.
Mr Bin Laden and Commander Atef have been indicted for the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Mr Bin Laden has emerged as the prime suspects in Tuesday's kamikaze hijacked passenger jet strikes on New York and Washington.
AFP