A terrorist act: Taliban

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 7. Afghanistan's Taliban militia today condemned the U.S.-led attacks against Afghanistan as a ``terrorist act'' and said it would not deliver the Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden, to the U.S., the Afghan Islamic Press reported.

``The U.S. attack is a terrorist act,'' the AIP quoted the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Abdul Salam Zaeef, as saying. ``We cannot hand over Osama to the U.S.,'' he said.

``This is an attack on an independent country. We will fight until our last breath. America will be responsible for the killing of poor people,'' Mr. Zaeef said.

Osama's Al-Qaeda tonight said it is ready for a confrontation with the U.S. A message broadcast on Al-Jazeera TV also contained a statement from Osama saying ``the U.S. will never again know security, before Palestine knows it.''

`Osama, Omar safe'

Osama and the Taliban leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, survived the U.S. and British attacks on Sunday, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan said in Islamabad.

``By the grace of God, Mullah Omar and Osama are alive,'' Mr. Abdul Salam Zaeef told reporters.

He did not elaborate and did not say whether either leader was near the scene of the Sunday night attacks.

War on Islam: Osama

Osama said in a statement read by an aide that the war against Afghanistan and him is a ``war on Islam,'' according to a video released by the Al-Jazeera satellite channel on Sunday.

Osama was shown dressed in fatigues and an Afghan head-dress, sitting quietly next to his spokesman as the latter read the statement. It was not clear when the video was made, but it referred to the September 11 attacks, but not to Sunday's retaliation by the United States and Britain.

``What happened in the U.S. is a natural reaction to the ignorant policy of the U.S.,'' the statement read by Suleiman Abu Gheit said.

``If it continues with this policy, the sons of Islam will not stop their struggle. The American people have to know that what is happening to them now is the result of their support of this policy,'' the statement said.

``The war against Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden is a war on Islam.''

Osama himself took the microphone and said: ``America was hit by God in one of its softest spots. America is full of fear from its north to its south, from its west to its east. Thank God for that.''

The video was made in what appeared to be a cave and shot during daylight. Osama bin Laden appeared composed and often pointed his finger to stress his point.

- AP, AFP

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