Via Drudge Report:

Thursday, 13 September 2001 3:52 (ET)

Bin Laden reportedly under house arrest

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Pakistani newspapers reported Thursday that Taliban authorities placed alleged terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden under house arrest near their headquarters in the southwestern Afghan city of Kandahar.

A spokesman for the Taliban Embassy in Islamabad, Sohel Shaheen, told United Press International "We have placed him under control after the attacks." Shaheen was referring to Tuesday's terrorist attacks against New York and Washington.

The Taliban had earlier said that they had severed bin Laden's communication links with the outside world but they never spoke of "placing him under control," which many in Pakistan describe as house arrest.

Western diplomatic observers, however, said such claims were aimed at deflecting international criticism for harboring bin Laden and his terrorists in Afghanistan since 1996 when U.S. pressure forced him to abandon his safe haven in Sudan.

They said that the United States and its allies would not accept anything less than an unconditional surrender of bin Laden and his aides to U.S. authorities.

Pakistan's military government was reportedly sending its senior military officials to the Taliban headquarters in Kandahar, southwestern Afghanistan, to convince its spiritual leader Mullah Omar to expel bin Laden.

Pakistan dispatched a delegation of senior civilian officials to Kabul Wednesday with a similar message but was told that only Mullah Omar could take such a decision.

Meanwhile, the United Nations and other international relief agencies have withdrawn their staff from Afghanistan. Most of them have already reached Islamabad, triggering fears that a U.S. military offensive against the Taliban was imminent.

-- Copyright 2001 by United Press International. All rights reserved. --

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Answers

I think it's a bunch of bunk that they have bin Laden under "control" or house arrest, or whatever. They are just doing what Libya did with the Pan Am terrorists, making statements to try to buy time. They know we are getting ready to do something, and if they can delay this for weeks, or even months, they probably figure we will back down.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

If they just appointed bin Laden as head of their armed forces, then it is hardly house arrest. More likely just a way to keep him protected. Plus it sounds almost cooperative.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

I would prefer they place him in a protective hole in a LA freeway with only his head poking out.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Reports from the Taliban say they do not have bin Laden under house arrest because he's innocent until proven guilty. Is it just me, or are we being mocked a bit here???

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

Seems to be just more disinformation coming out of the Taliban. When we were gearing up for Desert Storm I remember watching many TV spots in which Iraqi "spokespersons" were trying to sell their own spin to the US public. It was almost laughable to watch them calling black white, and other absurd attempts to twist the truth in their favor. We will surely get the same sort of disinformation from the Muslim holy men. So glad we declared there must be a separation of church and state here. When the church runs things, the high priests can promise you a direct link to God, if you commit some act they order. There is little doubt in my mind that the Muslim High Priests are approving all that bin Laden is doing. And they are protecting him.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001

I heard on CNN the report wasn't true. You all were right.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2001