Council to decide bin Laden's fate

Islamic clerics soon will choose whether to hand over Saudi exile

By GREGORY KATZ
The Dallas Morning News

The fate of Osama bin Laden rested with a council of Islamic elders in Afghanistan Monday night after a high-level delegation from Pakistan warned that the United States would unleash a hellacious military assault if the suspected terror chief is not turned over.

In the past, leaders of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban have defended Mr. bin Laden as a legitimate guest in their ravaged country, but it is not clear whether they are willing to absorb bombs, cruise missiles or possibly a land invasion on his behalf.

Taliban spokesman Abdul Hai Mutamaen told the Afghan Islamic Press Monday night that the final decision will be made by a group of Islamic senior statesmen and religious scholars. They are to discuss the issue Tuesday. He said the government would abide by the council's recommendation.

"The decision of the clerics is important and compulsory, and the government will implement it fully, " Mr. Mutamaen said

He called the talks "positive" and said there is a reasonable chance the crisis can be resolved.

There was no indication of a deadline being given to the Taliban, but a Pakistan military official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the Taliban will be told that a strike could occur as early as the coming weekend.

Thus far, there have been no indications that the hard-line Taliban rulers are ready to turn over their country's most controversial resident. It was also not clear whether they know Mr. bin Laden's whereabouts. He is reported to have left his last hideout shortly before the attacks.

U.S. officials who have asked the Pakistani government to serve as an intermediary are also demanding that Mr. bin Laden's aides and assistants be extradited as well and that his terror camps inside Afghanistan be permanently disabled. U.S. officials have not stated publicly what the Taliban must do to forestall an attack.

The Pakistani delegation met for more than three hours Monday with Mullah Muhammed Omar, the Taliban's leader, to explain the gravity of the situation now that President Bush has identified Mr. bin Laden as the chief suspect

After the meeting, Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said the delegation had not presented a U.S. deadline to the Taliban. He said U.S. officials had been "deeply hurt" by the terror attack and were in no mood to negotiate with either the Taliban or Mr. bin Laden.

Mr. Sattar said the isolated and extremist Taliban leaders may not understand the extent of world reaction against the attacks in Washington and New York. They also may not realize how close they are to bringing about their own demise by continuing to protect Mr. bin Laden, he said.

"My fear is perhaps the government and leadership are not fully aware of the storm that broke loose on Sept. 11," he said, citing their limited understanding of the non-Muslim world.

The Pakistani team, which remained in Afghanistan, was led by Gen. Mahmood Ahmed, the intelligence director who was in Washington when the attacks occurred last week. He gave the Taliban officials a candid description of what U.S. officials are planning and added his own view of the situation, the foreign minister said.

Despite the high-level warnings that catastrophe may be just around the corner, the Taliban remained at least publicly defiant. The group's leaders have vowed to press a holy war against the United States if a military assault is launched.

The British press reported that the Taliban sent a large number of troops to its borders with Pakistan as if to make good on a threat issued Sunday to retaliate against any nation that helps U.S. attackers. The Taliban also closed off Afghani airspace to outsiders.

Also Monday, Pakistan sealed its 1,500-mile border with Afghanistan in an effort to prevent a new surge of refugees trying to escape the expected U.S.-led military action.

Thousands of refugees attempting to enter Pakistan were barred. Iran has already closed its border with Afghanistan to keep refugees out. China sealed its own border with Pakistan, for fear terrorists might try to seek a haven.

As the general military buildup on both sides of the border continued, the Pakistani government also ordered police to confine the more than 1 million Afghani refugees already in ramshackle refugee camps in northern Pakistan.

The confinement decree came amidst signs of unrest inside Pakistan. Many Muslims are angry about the government's decision to align itself with the United States and Western Europe against the Taliban. President Pervez Musharraf has offered "full cooperation" with the United States.

There were further signs Monday that the U.S. effort to build an anti-terror coalition is gaining ground. The Muslim-led government of Sudan, which has been accused by U.S. officials of aiding terrorists, announced that it wishes to join the U.S.-led effort to stamp out terrorism.

Mr. bin Laden was once based in the Sudan but was expelled in 1996. Sudanese officials said his organization no longer has any active bases there.

In addition, Saudi Arabia indicated that it was in favor of the U.S.-led battle against terrorism. The Saudi foreign minister is scheduled for talks later this week in Washington.

In London, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said that support in Britain – and throughout Europe – remained strong. He said Americans should know that the attacks had provoked deep anger among Britons and a strong feeling of solidarity with Americans, who are credited with coming to Europe's aid during the two world wars.

"This tragedy has brought out two nations closer together than any incident has done since the Second World War," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.