Ask Osama to leave, clerics tell Taliban

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD SEPT. 20. The gathering of religious leaders (ulema) in Afghanistan has asked the Taliban regime to "encourage" the most wanted man by the U.S., Osama bin Laden, to leave the country voluntarily, but at the time of his choice and for his preferred destination.

The outcome of the much-awaited conference of the clerics is an inch forward in the context of the threat by the U.S. to wage a war if Osama is not handed over, but it is certainly not enough to ward off the clouds of a conflict given the vague nature of the fatwa (edict).

Most important, the gathering not only rejected the charges cited against Osama by the U.S. about his alleged involvement in last week's terror attacks on American cities, but delivered a threat to wage a "jehad" against the U.S. if it was bent on retaliatory strikes against the people of Afghanistan.

The U.N. resolutions of the last two years have specifically not only sought the unconditional surrender of Osama but also demanded the closure of alleged terrorist training camps inside Afghanistan. There was not a word of reference to either U.N. resolutions or the terrorist training camps.

As the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, pointed out in his address to his people on Wednesday, the primary target of the U.S. was not only Osama but also the Taliban for providing him the sanctuary. So the edict of the Ulema does not respond to the outstanding demands of the U.N. or the latest terms of the U.S. arising out of the terror attacks on its cities.

Probe sought

The ulema, while condemning the dastardly attacks on American cities, has appealed to the U.N. and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to undertake a "deep probe" to bring to book the culprits behind the incidents. At the end of the two-day deliberations, the Taliban Government led by Mullah Omar is believed to have addressed a letter containing the outcome of the conference and an appeal for intervention.

Everyone here is keeping their fingers crossed on the consequences of the decision of the religious leaders who met at the behest of the Taliban supremo, Mullah Omar. The Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman declined to comment on the edict on the plea that he was in no position to give any reaction without the benefit of the actual text.

Diplomatic and political observers here believe that the edict issued by the Taliban militia clerics is not likely to help defuse the tension and impress the U.S., the U.N. and others who have been demanding the unconditional surrender of Osama to the appropriate authorities for his trail in cases cited against him.

However, the very fact that the ulema made an appeal to the Taliban regime to encourage Osama to leave Afghan territory itself has come as a surprise to experts who have been keeping a close tab on the fast changing situation. It is seen as a limited success for the Pakistan establishment which sent a high-level delegation led by the ISI chief, Lt. Gen. Mahmood, in a bid to persuade Mullah Omar to heed the advice of the global community.

What difference the limited success would make to the volatile situation is a different story, particularly, considering that the senior Afghan clerics along with the recommendation to the Government also send a fatwa which may be applicable in case the U.S. launches an attack on Afghanistan.

Reports from Kabul said that after hectic deliberations the Council of Ulema proposed to the Government to tell Osama if it is possible for him to leave Afghanistan voluntarily and select a new destination or place for him. The Council said that in case the U.S. did not demonstrate patience despite the above decisions and resort to an attack against Afghanistan, then the following fatwa would be applicable under the Islamic Shariah. It says that in the event of attacks by the U.S. ``jehad is obligatory for the Muslims of a country which land is attacked by infidels''. The fatwa quotes several verses from the Holy Quran and illustrations from Islamic jurisprudence to support the call for jehad.

`Omar will act on edict'

An AFP report from Kabul, quoting the Taliban Education Minister, said Mullah Omar would act on the clerics' edict asking Osama to leave Afghanistan, but that his departure would take "some time."

"The Muslim nation of Afghanistan has always been true to the order of ulema," Mr. Amir Khan Mutaqi said.

"We are sure that Amir-al-Momineen (commander of the faithful, Omar) will act in accordance with the edict of the ulema as he has always intimated that he will do so."

The Minister acknowledged that Osama would have difficulty finding somewhere else to go.

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