AFGHANISTAN: WHEREABOUTS OF EXTREMIST SUPPORTER OSAMA BIN LADEN

C O N F I D E N T I A L STATE 183372

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/03/06
TAGS: PTER, PREL, SA, AF
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: WHEREABOUTS OF EXTREMIST SUPPORTER
OSAMA BIN LADEN

ROME FOR STORELLA, LONDON FOR TUELLER, PARIS FOR RAVELING,
NAIROBI FOR AMB. CARNEY

1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY LEE 0. COLDREN, DIRECTOR, SA/PAB,
DEPARTMENT OF STATE. REASON: 1.5(D).

2. (C) SUMMARY: OSAMA BIN LADEN ASKED THE NANGARHAR SHURA
FOR PERMISSION TO REMAIN IN THE EASTERN PROVINCES OF
AFGHANISTAN, ACCORDING TO AN EASTERN SHURA OFFICIAL
VISITING THE U.S. AFTER DELIBERATIONS IN LATE JULY-EARLY
AUGUST, THE SHURA DECIDED THAT BIN LADEN WOULD NOT BE
ALLOWED TO LIVE IN OR WORK IN TERRITORY UNDER ITS CONTROL.
BIN LADEN THEN LEFT FOR KABUL WHERE HE REPORTEDLY STILL
REMAINS. END SUMMARY.

3. (C) NANGARHAR PROVINCIAL MINISTER OF DISABLED PERSONS
AND ORPHANS COMMANDER ABDUL SADAQAT TOLD AFGHAN DESKOFF
CHEW ON AUGUST 26 IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT OFFICIALS IN THE
NANGARHAR SHURA OPPOSED TERRORISM AND THE USE OF AFGHAN
TERRITORY FOR PURPOSES OF TERRORISM. AS AN ILLUSTRATION,
HE SAID, AN ARAB HAD CAME TO NANGARHAR IN LATE JULY WITH
EXPLOSIVES. HE SAID THAT THE ARAB WAS LOOKING FOR SUPPORT
AMONG AFGHANS FOR HIS INTENDED TERRORIST ACTIVITIES.
HOWEVER, HE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY SUPPORT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE
ARAB WAS KILLED, APPARENTLY BY ONE OF HIS OWN BOMBS.

4. (C) WHEN ASKED ABOUT REPORTS THAT OSAMA BIN LADEN HAD
MOVED TO AFGHANISTAN, COMMANDER SADAQAT CONFIRMED BIN
LADEN'S PRESENCE. SADAQAT SAID THAT BIN LADEN HAD SENT A
REPRESENTATIVE TO JALALABAD TO ASK THE NANGARHAR SHURA
(COUNCIL) FOR SAFEHAVEN FOR BIN LADEN. THE COUNCIL MET IN
LATE JULY-EARLY AUGUST; IT DECIDED THAT BIN LADEN WOULD NOT
BE ALLOWED TO WORK OR LIVE IN THEIR TERRITORY. SADAQAT
SAID THAT HE HAD HEARD THAT BIN LADEN THEN WENT TO KABUL
WHERE HE REMAINS. (COMMENT: BIN LADEN HAS HAD A LONG
RELATIONSHIP WITH NOW PRIME MINISTER HEKMATYAR. END
COMMENT.)

5. (C) WHEN ASKED ABOUT BIN LADEN'S ARAB FOLLOWERS, SADAQAT
SAID THAT THEY WERE NOT IN NANGARHAR, BUT IN SAROBI
(HEKMATYAR'S STRONGHOLD). HE SAID NANGARHAR OFFICIALS WILL
NOT ALLOW "THESE PEOPLE" TO LIVE IN THE EASTERN PROVINCES.
SADAQAT SAID THAT AFGHANS WERE ALREADY LIVING IN AN
"EMERGENCY SITUATION" AND DID NOT NEED MORE PROBLEMS. HE
RECOUNTED A RUMOR THAT SOME ARABS HAD MOVED TO PAGHMAN IN
ORDER TO BE NEARER THE KABUL AUTHORITIES, HELP THEM WITH
FOOD SUPPLIES, AND OTHERWISE EASE THEIR BURDEN. (COMMENT:
KABUL HAS BEEN UNDER SEIGE BY THE TALL BAN SINCE LAST
OCTOBER. JUST TWO DAYS AGO, THE ROAD TO MAIDAN SHAHR WAS
CUT DUE TO FIGHTING BETWEEN PRO-KABUL TROOPS AND THE
TALIBAN. THE ROAD IS A MAJOR ARTERY FOR FOODSTUFFS, FUEL,
LIVESTOCK AND OTHER NECESSITIES REACHING KABUL. END
COMMENT.)

6. (C) BIO NOTE: COMMANDER SAYED HOSSEINI ABDUL SADAQAT
IS CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR, PARALYZED FROM A BULLET WOUND
DURING THE SOVIET OCCUPATION. HE IS A RESPECTED TRIBAL
LEADER AND MEMBER OF THE 18-MAN BLACK MOUNTAIN COUNCIL. HE
IS ALSO A MEMBER OF KHALIS'S HEZB-I-ISLAMI FACTION.
AVOWEDLY PRO-U.S., HE HAS MADE HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE U.S.
TO ACCOMPANY THE AFGHAN AND PAKISTANI PARALYMPICS ATHLETES
TO EVENTS IN ATLANTA AND SAN FRANCISCO. WE BELIEVE HIM TO
BE A CREDIBLE SOURCE. HE DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH.


TALBOTT