Raye - Do Taliban; Osama have access to HARRP? They seem to infer a knowledge of Tesla physics.

Wednesday November 10 4:08 AM ET

Taliban Vow Not to Hand Over Osama Bin Laden

DUBAI (Reuters) - The foreign minister of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban government has vowed his government would not hand over Saudi-born dissident Osama bin Laden to the United States.

Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil made in his comments to the United Arab Emirates daily al-Ittihad published Wednesday, a few days before U.N. sanctions go into effect against the Taliban.

He reiterated a Taliban offer to allow the 55-member Organization of the Islamic Conference to monitor bin Laden's movements.

``We repeat that we will never hand over Osama bin Laden and will not force him out (of Afghanistan). He will remain free in defiance of America,'' Muttawakil said.

``We never gave concessions and we maintain our principled position that rejects handing over bin Laden to an infidel nation,'' he added.

The Taliban warned the United States on Tuesday to end ''hostility'' toward it or face disasters such as storms and earthquakes. Washington said it noted the Taliban warning but said it was unmoved in its quest to bring bin Laden to trial.

U.S.-initiated United Nations sanctions go into effect against the Taliban on November 14 unless they expel bin Laden, who is blamed by the United States for orchestrating the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa last year that killed more than 200 people.

Taliban Reject Security Council Resolution

The Taliban have rejected the Security Council resolution and dismissed the demands to expel bin Laden, who has been living intermittently in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power more than three years ago.

``America appears determined to implement the sanctions on Afghanistan and talking about it is a waste of time and America will not achieve anything (by imposing the sanctions),'' Muttawakil said.

``We are not saying the sanctions won't have any effect. They will have financial and moral effects on the Afghan people because Afghanistan's already battered economy will further deteriorate, capital flow into Afghanistan will be affected, traders will be afraid to strike deals, and development and infrastructure projects will be affected as well as trade.

``Despite that we trust that the people of Afghanistan have patience and, God willing, we will overcome this crisis,'' Muttawakil said.

He said the Taliban should try to lobby Muslim support around the world to face the sanctions.

``If the Security Council guarantees that America will not harm Osama bin Laden, we will put him in a public place under the supervision of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to assure everybody of his movements,'' Muttawakil said. ''The problem is that every time we take any measure, America thinks we are trying to protect Osama bin Laden, while we are only trying to show his innocence and that he did not commit crimes,'' he said.

``America has put obstacles in the face of every suggestion aimed at solving the problem,'' he added.