US embassy cable - 97KARACHI1443

C O N F I D E N T I A L KARACHI 001443 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/20/07 
TAGS: PREL, NARC, PTER, AF, PK 
SUBJECT: TALIBAN REP ON NARCOTICS AND BIN LADEN 
 
1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY DOUGLAS B. ARCHARD, CONSUL GENERAL, 
AMCONGEN KARACHI. REASON 1.5(D). 
 
2. (C) CONSUL GENERAL JOINED HIS TALIBAN COUNTERPARTS FOR A 
BRIEF CHAT DURING A DINNER AT THE CHIEF MINISTER'S AUGUST 
20TH.  THE TALIBAN CONSUL GENERAL IS A FIFTY-ISH, MIDDLE- 
SIZED MAN NAMED MAULVI ABDULLAH HAMAD, WHOM WE HAD NOT MET 
BEFORE.  HE HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE SEPTEMBER 1996 AND HAILS 
FROM HELMAND.  HE SPEAKS NO ENGLISH BUT SOME URDU.  WE KNOW 
HIS NUMBER TWO, THIRD SECRETARY HAFIZULLAH SAFI, WHO HAS 
LIVED IN KARACHI FOR A DOZEN YEARS AND HOLDS AN MA IN 
ISLAMIC STUDIES FROM KARACHI UNIVERSITY. 
 
3. (U) WE WORKED THE SUBJECT AROUND TO NARCOTICS.  SAFI 
ADMITTED THAT SOME --"A LITTLE"-- OPIUM WAS GROWN IN 
TALIBAN-CONTROLLED AREA, ESPECIALLY HELMAND, BUT WAS USED 
ONLY FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES.  HE SAID HIS MOVEMENT HAD 
STRICTLY FORBIDDEN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEROINE AND HASHISH. 
WE DID NOT DISPUTE HIS CLAIM. 
 
4. (C) CONSUL GENERAL ALSO ASKED ABOUT "THAT SAUDI PRINCE," 
WHO WAS IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED AS OSAMA BIN LADEN.  SAFI 
LAUNCHED INTO AN EXPLANATION OF BIN LADEN'S PRESENCE IN 
TALIBAN TERRITORY WHICH TOOK THE STANDARD LINE: BIN LADEN 
HAD BEEN A GOOD MUJAHID FOR A DOZEN OR MORE YEARS.  HE 
REMAINED IN AFGHANISTAN ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HE AVOID 
ANY INVOLVEMENT IN TERRORISM DIRECTED AGAINST THE WEST OR 
SAUDI ARABIA. 
 
5. (C) WE ASKED IF HE HAD VIEWED THE PETER ARNETT CNN 
INTERVIEW WITH BIN LADEN.  HE CLAIMED NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE 
INTERVIEW AND ASKED FOR A SUMMARY.  CONSUL GENERAL EXPLAINED 
THAT BIN LADEN HAD VOWED ACTION AGAINST AMERICAN SOLDIERS IN 
SAUDI ARABIA.  HE INVITED SAFI TO COME TO TEA AT JOHNSON 
HOUSE TO VIEW THE TAPE.  SAFI UNDERTOOK TO DO SO, WE THINK. 
 
6. (C) COMMENT: NOT ALL THAT MUCH SUBSTANCE THERE, OR 
PERHAPS MUCH REALITY BUT WHAT SEEMS CLEAR IS THAT THE 
TALIBAN ARE GETTING OUR MESSAGES.  WE SUSPECT THAT THEIR 
COMMUNICATIONS WITH KANDAHAR ARE NOT THAT PERFECT BUT THEY 
APPEAR TO BE TELLING ONE ANOTHER WHAT U.S. CONCERNS ARE. 
WE ARE IN THE CULTIVATING MODE WITH THESE PEOPLE, WHOM WE 
MEET ONLY FLEETINGLY.  WE HAD LUCK IN GETTING SAFI OVER TO 
HEAR OUR PITCH ON PRESERVING THE BUDDHIST MONUMENTS AT 
BAMIYAN.  WE'LL TRY TO GET HIM TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE 
ARNETT TAPE. 
 
 
ARCHARD