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| Identifier: | 96ISLAMABAD8679 |
|---|---|
| Wikileaks: | View 96ISLAMABAD8679 at Wikileaks.org |
| Origin: | Embassy Islamabad |
| Created: | 1996-10-14 06:21:00 |
| Classification: | CONFIDENTIAL |
| Tags: | PTER PGOV MOPS KISL AF |
| Redacted: | This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks. |
O 140621Z OCT 96 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2509 INFO AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT AMEMBASSY BONN AMEMBASSY ANKARA DIA WASHDC AMEMBASSY TASHKENT AMEMBASSY ALMATY AMEMBASSY BISHKEK AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI AMEMBASSY MOSCOW AMEMBASSY ROME AMEMBASSY RIYADH AMEMBASSY PARIS AMEMBASSY LONDON USMISSION USUN NEW YORK USIA WASHDC 5978
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 008679 DEPT FOR SA/PAB, S/CT, AND EUR/CEN; USIA FOR NEA; LONDON FOR POL - TUELLER; PARIS FOR POL - RAVELING; ROME FOR POL - NDEMPSEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/96 TAGS: PTER, PGOV, MOPS, KISL, AF SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: BIN LADEN REPORTEDLY IN JALALABAD 1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR TOM PRICE. REASON: 1.5 (D). 2. (C) SUMMARY: AN AFGHAN BUSINESSMAN WITH CLOSE TIES TO THE TALIBAN TOLD POLOFF AND THE ASSISTANT ARMY ATTACHE THAT SAUDI FINANCIER BIN LADEN IS "UNDER TALIBAN CONTROL" IN JALALABAD. THE AFGHAN CHARGE IN ISLAMABAD SAID THAT BIN LADEN'S WHEREABOUTS ARE UNKNOWN, ALTHOUGH HE "COULD BE RECEIVING SHELTER SOMEWHERE IN AFGHANISTAN." END SUMMARY. 3. (C) ABDUL BAQI, AN AFGHAN BUSINESSMAN WITH CLOSE TIES TO THE TALIBAN, TOLD POLOFF AND THE ASSISTANT ARMY ATTACHE (AARMA) ON OCTOBER 11 THAT FUGITIVE SAUDI FINANCIER OSAMA BIN LADEN IS IN JALALABAD "UNDER TALIBAN CONTROL." BAQI SAID THAT HE HAD HEARD THIS FROM A TALIBAN SOURCE IN JALALABAD "TEN DAYS AGO" WHO HAD "PERSONALLY" SEEN BIN LADEN. BAQI ADDED THAT BIN LADEN IS BEING "SHELTERED" IN COMMANDER YUNIS KHALIS' COMPOUND IN JALALABAD. KHALIS IS ALSO PROVIDING SHELTER TO A NUMBER OF OTHER "ARABS," ACCORDING TO BAQI. ASKED IF HE THOUGHT THAT BIN LADEN WAS STILL IN JALALABAD, BAQI SAID THAT HE FELT THAT HE STILL IS. 4. (C) BAQI STRESSED THAT THE TALIBAN ARE "NOT AT ALL FRIENDLY" TOWARD BIN LADEN AND THE OTHER "ARABS." HE ASSERTED THAT BIN LADEN WAS NOT "FREE TO COME AND GO AS HE PLEASED" AND THAT THE TALIBAN WOULD NOT "ALLOW HIM TO PLAN TERRORIST ATTACKS" WHILE HE IS UNDER THEIR CONTROL. BAQI NOTED THAT THE TALIBAN HAVE NOT DECIDED WHAT TO DO WITH BIN LADEN AND THE OTHER "ARABS." 5. (C) IN A CONVERSATION WITH POLOFF AND AARMA ON OCTOBER 13, AFGHAN CHARGE ABDUL WAHAB AVERRED THAT HE IS "UNAWARE OF THE WHEREABOUTS OF BIN LADEN, ALTHOUGH HE COULD BE RECEIVING SHELTER SOMEWHERE IN AFGHANISTAN." WAHAB, WHO IS A MEMBER OF KHALIS' POLITICAL PARTY, HIZB-I-ISLAMI (KHALIS), ADDED THAT IT IS "PART OF AFGHAN CUSTOM TO OFFER HOSPITALITY AND REFUGE TO STRANGERS, BUT TERRORIST ACTIVITIES WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED BY THE TALIBAN." ASKED ABOUT THE WHEREABOUTS OF YUNIS KHALIS, WAHAB SAID THAT HE IS AT HIS HOME IN JALALABAD. 6. (C) BOTH POLOFF AND AARMA TOLD WAHAB TO URGE THE TALIBAN NOT TO PROVIDE ANY FORM OF "SAFE HAVEN" TO TERRORISTS. IN ADDITION, POLOFF AND AARMA EMPHASIZED THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE TALIBAN TELL OSAMA BIN LADEN THAT HIS PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN IS NOT WANTED. 7. (C) COMMENT: WE CANNOT VERIFY BAQI'S ASSERTION THAT BIN LADEN IS IN JALALABAD. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS POSSIBLE THAT BIN LADEN AND OTHER ARABS WERE SWEPT UP IN THE CONFUSION CAUSED BY THE RAPID TALIBAN ADVANCE LAST MONTH, AND ARE NOW IN AREAS CONTROLLED BY THE TALIBAN. SIMONS
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