Stories from 2001-12-21

"Osama bin Laden speaks fondly of several Sept. 11 hijackers on the videotape released by the U.S. military, asking Allah to 'accept their action,' according to a more thorough translation of the tape by a government-hired Arabic expert. The new analysis of the videotape released last week revealed 'a whole bunch of names,' translator George Michael said in an interview with The Associated Press." [more]

The Bush Administration said that bin Laden had met with a Pakistani nuclear scientist before Sept. 11 who provided him with information on how to make the bomb. [more]

"Alarm bells rang when Edmund Capon was offered some exquisite ancient Buddhist sculptures earlier this week. The director of the Art Gallery of [New South Wales] feared the sculptures might have been looted from Afghanistan, possibly from the Kabul museum." [more]

"A grenade explosion that injured 159 people in a crowded marketplace was an accident, not an act of terrorism, police said Friday in this northern Afghan city." [more]

There is strong continuing support for the Taleban among ordinary people in Pakistan, according to a BBC World Service opinion poll .Ý.Ý. Forty-six per cent of the men and 40% of the women questioned supported the Taleban." [more]

"Powell sought to quiet speculation that the Iraqi government would be an early target in the U.S. anti-terrorism campaign. He said that Hussein's military is far stronger than the ill-equipped Taliban forces and that the Iraqi opposition is not comparible to Afghanistan's Northern Alliance." [more]

"A confident American public strongly supports extending the anti-terrorism war to Iraq and other countries, and most believe there can be no victory without the demise of both Osama bin Laden and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, according to a new Washington Post–ABC News poll." [more]

"The United States has strong indications Somalia is linked to Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, but the next stage of America's anti-terrorism assault may not involve military action, America's top general said Friday. Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, refused to say whether Somalia was a U.S. target as the United States considers expanding its war beyond Afghanistan. But he told The Associated Press the next phase could be diplomatic or involve heavy intelligence gathering." [more]

"An estimated 7,000 members of the Taleban and the al-Qaeda terror network are being held in Afghanistan, a spokesman for the US-led coalition has said. It is the first time that the number of detainees has been announced since the beginning of the military campaign that toppled the Taleban regime." [more]

"More than 20,000 American troops have moved into Qatar and Kuwait amid repeated suggestions that Washington is preparing to move the war on terrorism into Iraq, according to defence sources." [more]

"The United States will recognize the new interim government of Afghanistan once it is sworn in at the weekend, U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan James Dobbins said Friday." [more]

"American troops will be sent into Afghanistan's abandoned al-Qaida cave complex to press the search for Osama bin Laden, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld said Friday.
"He declined to say how many." [more]