US embassy cable - 98STATE55357

S E C R E T STATE 055357 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/08 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, AF, SA 
SUBJECT: APPROACH TO EU ON TALEBAN SUPPORT FOR USAMA BIN 
LADEN 
 
CLASSIFIED BY KENNETH R. MCKUNE, ACTING COORDINATOR FOR 
COUNTERTERRORISM, S/CT, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. REASON:  1.5 
(B). 
 
1.  (U) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE - SEE PARA 2. 
 
2.  (S/RELEASABLE TO THE EU) THE U.S. IS CONCERNED BY THE 
SO-CALLED FATWA RECENTLY ISSUED BY TERRORIST PATRON USAMA 
BIN LADEN THAT CALLS ON ALL MUSLIMS TO KILL AMERICANS. WE 
HAVE RAISED THIS ISSUE WITH THE TALEBAN BOTH IN KABUL AND 
IN NEW YORK.  WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT EU MEMBER STATES SHARE 
THIS CONCERN.  WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS MERIT IN THE 
TALEBAN REALIZING THAT THIS CONCERN IS NOT LIMITED TO THE 
U.S. POSTS ARE REQUESTED TO DRAW FROM THE TALKING POINTS 
BELOW AND CONVEY THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE HOST COUNTRY 
OFFICIALS SOONEST. 
 
(BEGIN POINTS) 
 
--THE TALEBAN ASSUMED THE ROLE OF HOST TO TERRORIST PATRON 
USAMA BIN LADEN WHEN THEY CONSOLIDATED THEIR CONTROL OVER 
SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN IN LATE 1996. THEY ALSO TOOK CONTROL 
OF A NUMBER OF TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS. BIN LADEN HAS 
BEEN HEADQUARTERED IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE HE LEFT SUDAN IN 
MID-1996. 
 
--INITIALLY, THE TALEBAN PLEDGED TO SHUT DOWN CAMPS AND, 
THOUGH REFUSING TO EXPEL BIN LADEN, PROMISED TO KEEP HIM 
UNDER CONTROL. THE TALEBAN HAVE RENEGED ON BOTH OF THESE 
PLEDGES. 
 
--THE TALEBAN HAVE TAKEN NO ACTION AGAINST BIN LADEN FOR 
HIS ISSUANCE THIS MONTH OF A SELF-STYLED FATWA URGING 
MUSLIMS TO ATTACK U.S. INTERESTS, INCLUDING CIVILIANS, AND 
THE INTERESTS OF COUNTRIES ALLIED WITH THE U.S. 
 
--TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN TALEBAN 
CONTROLLED AREAS. 
 
--DURING AN AUGUST 1997 TRIP TO VISIT CAMPS NEAR KHOWST IN 
EASTERN AFGHANISTAN, BIN LADEN ISSUED PUBLIC ANTI-U.S. 
STATEMENTS WARNING HE WOULD NOT STOP HIS STRUGGLE UNTIL HE 
HAD EXPELLED ALL AMERICANS FROM SAUDI ARABIA. 
 
--THE TALEBAN FACILITATE THE OPERATION OF THESE CAMPS BY 
ALLOWING FREE PASSAGE OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS TO AND FROM 
THESE FACILITIES. 
 
--WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT SENIOR TALEBAN LEADERS ARE IN CLOSE 
CONTACT WITH USAMA BIN LADEN. THIS RELATIONSHIP IS 
MANIFEST IN BIN LADEN'S FINANCING LAST YEAR OF A LARGE 
RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PROVINCIAL 
GOVERNOR'S HOUSE IN QANDAHAR. 
 
--THE TALEBAN MUST SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR USAMA BIN 
LADEN'S TERRORIST ACTIONS AND INFLAMMATORY STATEMENTS AS 
LONG AS HE REMAINS A GUEST IN QANDAHAR. 
 
--WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL MAKE THESE POINTS TO THE TALEBAN 
SOONEST. 
 
(END POINTS) 
 
 
ALBRIGHT