18 September 2001

Islamic State of Afghanistan Willing to Hunt Bin Laden

By Judy Aita
Washington File Staff Writer

United Nations -- Condemning the acts of terrorism against the United States, Afghanistan's ambassador to the United Nations said that the Islamic State of Afghanistan is ready to cooperate with the United States to find wanted terrorist Usama bin Laden.

At a press conference at UN headquarters September 18, Ambassador A.G. Ravan Farhadi said, "our side is ready for cooperation.... We have information how to deal with Mr. bin Laden."

Farhadi represents the Islamic State of Afghanistan, the northern alliance that controls a small portion of territory in Afghanistan and continues to oppose the Taliban government in Kabul. The United Nations recognizes the Islamic State and it holds the Afghanistan seat in the General Assembly.

"It means nothing to bomb Kabul or Kandahar. This is useless. What we say (is) we have 15,000 people in our side ready to fight, ready to fight, and...trained for fighting the Taliban. And they have done this job for five years," Farhadi said.

"We know the land and we know the country and we know the people and we know where Mr. bin Laden can hide," Farhadi said.

"We know also the psychology of people and we know especially that in any Taliban-held territory there is a movement. There is an underground movement against the Taliban because the Afghan people are fed up with the Taliban...and fed up with Mr. bin Laden and his army," he said.

"It is important. We have to be consulted and we will give our cooperation, we will give our views," he said. "If any cooperation is needed internationally we are ready."

Farhadi said that Afghan fighters are lacking arms and ammunition but "we have some and we will continue our resistance against the Taliban and bin Laden even if there is no cooperation from outside."

Farhadi also questioned Pakistan's cooperation, saying that over 5,000 Pakistanis are fighting on the side of the Taliban. Pakistani intelligence also works with the Taliban as well, he said.

"We don't have confidence with Pakistan because Pakistan is so much engaged on the side of the Taliban, in favor of Taliban giving refuge to Usama," he said. "It is difficult to change that position."

The ambassador said his government wants the Pakistani government to recall armed Pakistanis from Afghanistan.

The ambassador said that his government would oppose any kind of military intervention by Pakistan. While his government is opposed "as a matter of principle" to U.S. military intervention that includes Pakistani troops, it would be willing to discuss the option.