Posted on 01/03/2003 3:41:41 PM PST by Colorado Doug
Taliban possess chemical weapons: ex-leader
By Behroz Khan
PESHAWAR: Remnants of the dismembered Taliban have claimed possession of chemical and other sophisticated weapons provided by 'friendly' states to the Afghan resistance aimed at challenging presence of US and the allied forces in the war-shattered Afghanistan.
"Mujhaideen are now in possession of chemical and other sophisticated weapons provided by friendly countries. We have still not used them but guided missiles and remote control weapons have been used and the results are very encouraging," claimed former Taliban diplomat, Naseer Ahmad Rohi.
Rohi, who claimed to have served as first secretary at the Afghan Embassy in the United Arab Emirates before the fall of Taliban regime, briefed a selected group of senior journalists here on Friday.
He said the new weapons have not been used by Mujahideen in the past, neither by the Arabs nor the Afghans. However, experts and analysts of the Afghan situation believe that the claim by the Taliban official needs verification.
The former Taliban official categorically denied Pakistan's role in the provision of the latest technology and dangerous weapons, but said some Muslims as well as non-Muslim friendly countries had supplied the Mujahideen with the weaponry. Rohi did not name any country providing what he claimed chemical weapons to the resistance forces in Afghanistan, but said the situation was encouraging for them because of the coordinated attacks on the US and allied forces in eastern and southern provinces during the last few months. Rohi claimed that Taliban, al-Qaeda fighters loyal to Osama bin Laden and Hezb-i-Islami's Mujahideen under the leadership of Gulbaddin Hekmatyar have joined hands and reactivated its dormant cells in several provinces to take on the enemy.
"Hekmatyar met Taliban supreme leader, Mulla Muhammad Omar in Uruzgan province and both the leaders have agreed on the war strategy and coordination among the resistance groups," he said adding that the two leaders have resolved to launch a joint struggle for the liberation of Afghanistan from foreign forces and holding of general elections in the country in case of success in ousting the invaders. "It was Hekmatyar's insistence to hold general elections in the country after the victory," Rohi said.
Uruzgan is the native province of Mulla Muhammad Omar and the Taliban official claimed that their leader spends most of the time in his area due to the fact that he is little known to the people, as he kept his distance and did not allow cameramen to take his pictures. "It was purely because of his Islamic view, but non-existence of his photos has proved a blessing in disguise for him and is paying off now," Rohi said.
He said that Mulla Omar has not changed his get-up neither did Osama bin Laden, but certain key Taliban leaders wanted by the US, have done it by shaving beards or trimming them out of compulsion. Rohi said that Hezb's fighters have taken responsibility to launch attacks on the US forces in eastern provinces while Taliban and their supporters would carry out such activities in southern parts of Afghanistan.
About Osama bin Laden, he said the al-Qaeda chief was alive and moving in areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan along with his one wife and kids. Osama bin Laden has four wives and more than a dozen children.
"Osama received injuries in the chest at the Tora Bora bombing by US planes, but has survived the air strikes. However, the entire family of Aiman al-Zawahiri has been killed including his two wives and kids," the Taliban official claimed. He said that al-Zawahiri, second in command in the al-Qaeda network, has moved out of the region saying that according to his information, Zawahiri was no longer in Asia.
Rohi claimed that Hekmatyar's forces have captured as many as 50 US soldiers on way to Kabul from Logar while the Taliban fighters captured another 26 US special forces personnel during the Shai Kot fighting, which was code named as "Operation Anaconda". "We will bring them before the press after the approval of the top leadership," he said.
However, Pakistani intelligence officials did not agree with the number of missing US soldiers saying that news about 10 to 15 missing US soldiers was in circulation since long. "I believe that the operation in Kunar province of Afghanistan last month was aimed at finding clues to the whereabouts of the missing Americans," an official of the secret agencies said.
Rohi also claimed that as many as 5,000 fighters loyal to the Taliban Movement have been activated in southern as well as eastern provinces. "We still have Arab, Chechen, Uzbeck and even Pakistani fighters with us and were ready to fight against the foreign invaders. "Taliban as well as the Arab Mujahideen are not happy with Pakistan's policy of arresting and handing over hundreds of Muslims to the US," he said.
I don't doubt they have some WMDs, and I suspect they have been passed around throughout all the muslim countries.
As for the American captives, it would probably be wishful thinking to think they have none. And the word of a Paki is totally unreliable--it's as likely to be propaganda as it is a good faith estimate. But I rather doubt they would keep any captives alive very long, so they are probably just trying to rattle us.
***ISLAM-ONLINE.net: "MULLAH OMAR URGES JIHAD AGAINST U.S. WAR ON IRAQ" by Hasbanullah Mutawakel, IOL Correspondent (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Peshawar, December 18 (IslamOnline) - Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar exhorted Muslims on Tuesday, December 17, to prepare for Jihad against the United States if it unleashes a military offensive against Iraq. In a statement published in the Pakistani Mashraq newspaper, Mullah Omar stressed it was time for the Islamic nation to stand in the face of world atheism and to attack American interests worldwide.") (121802)
***Quote.BLOOMBERG.com News: "UN ENLARGES IRAQ TEAM; AZIZ WARNS OF TERROR THREAT (Update 4)" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Any U.S. move against Iraq to rid the country of weapons will mean the "hatred against the United States will reach its peak," Aziz said on the U.S.'s "Fox News Sunday" program. It would prompt attacks against U.S. citizens at home and abroad, he said, without specifying who might carry out the strikes.")(121602)
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