Afghan Taliban sources Thursday denied that Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden and his associates had been arrested in Afghanistan, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported.
Reports from the Middle East that bin Laden and some of his colleagues had been arrested were concocted, Taliban sources in Kabul told the Pakistan-based news agency, cited by AFP.
They said the ruling Islamic militia believed bin Laden was not involved in Tuesday's devastating terrorist attacks on the United States.
Bin Laden's whereabouts was unknown, they said, because he continued to move from place to place "like a bird", AIP said .
An Arabic online newspaper, Ilaf, said Wednesday that the Taliban militia have placed bin Laden under house arrest in the wake of the suicide attacks on the United States.
Quoting "fundamentalist Arab sources", Ilaf said the "Taliban have arrested Osama bin Laden before placing him under surveillance with several of his assistants," including the head of the Egyptian branch of Al-Jihad Ayman Al-Zawahri and bin Laden's military commander, Muhammad Atef Al-Makni.
"A number of Afghan fighters are under house arrest along with bin Laden," said the report late Wednesday.
Bin Laden and commander Atef have been indicted for the 1998 bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
Bin Laden has emerged as the prime suspects in Tuesday's kamikaze hijacked passenger jet strikes on New York and Washington – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
