The Taliban have said any retaliatory US strikes against Afghanistan will sow hatred in the region but say they will consider an extradition request for Mr Osama bin Laden provided the US can provide sufficient proof of his involvement in the attacks.
Taliban spokesman Mr Abdul Hai Mutmaen told Reutersfrom the southern Afghan town of Kandahar that US strikes could lead to further suicide attacks.
|
"If innocent and sinless people suffer, then it is certain that on the level of the region, hatred will further increase, the result of which will be similar to the suicide incidents," he said.
Earlier, the Taliban said it would consider requests for the extradition of suspect Osama bin Laden based on evidence from US investigators.
"We can study the evidence and take action in light of that," the country's ambassador to neighbouring Pakistan, Mr Abdul Salam Zaeef, told reporters when asked about bin Laden's possible extradition.
|
He said the first step would be to discuss whatever evidence, if any, may be provided to link bin Laden to the devastating terrorist attacks against landmarks in New York and Washington yesterday morning.
"About his handover, we can talk about that in the second phase," Mr Zaeef said.
But he stressed that so far the United States had not officially accused bin Laden of yesterday's attacks, when hijacked jets were used as flying bombs to level the World Trade Center and parts of the Pentagon.
The ambassador also reiterated that bin Laden was incapable of carrying out such sophisticated operations from his base in Afghanistan, where he is protected as the Taliban's honoured "guest".
"All activities of Osama are controlled by us. He cannot speak on the telephone, he has no Internet or satellite phone facilities to contact anyone," Mr Zaeef said.
AFP &