APPROACH TO EU ON TALEBAN SUPPORT FOR USAMA BIN

S E C R E T STATE 055357 E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/08 TAGS: PTER PREL AF SA SUBJECT: APPROACH TO EU ON TALEBAN SUPPORT FOR USAMA BIN LADEN CLASSIFIED BY KENNETH R. MCKUNE, ACTING COORDINATOR FOR COUNTERTERRORISM, S/CT, DEPARTMENT OF STATE. REASON: 1.5 (B). ¶1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION MESSAGE - SEE PARA 2. ¶2. (S/RELEASABLE TO THE EU) THE U.S. IS CONCERNED BY THE SO-CALLED FATWA RECENTLY ISSUED BY TERRORIST PATRON USAMA BIN LADEN THAT CALLS ON ALL MUSLIMS TO KILL AMERICANS. WE HAVE RAISED THIS ISSUE WITH THE TALEBAN BOTH IN KABUL AND IN NEW YORK. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT EU MEMBER STATES SHARE THIS CONCERN. WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS MERIT IN THE TALEBAN REALIZING THAT THIS CONCERN IS NOT LIMITED TO THE U.S. POSTS ARE REQUESTED TO DRAW FROM THE TALKING POINTS BELOW AND CONVEY THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE HOST COUNTRY OFFICIALS SOONEST. (BEGIN POINTS) --THE TALEBAN ASSUMED THE ROLE OF HOST TO TERRORIST PATRON USAMA BIN LADEN WHEN THEY CONSOLIDATED THEIR CONTROL OVER SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN IN LATE 1996. THEY ALSO TOOK CONTROL OF A NUMBER OF TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS. BIN LADEN HAS BEEN HEADQUARTERED IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE HE LEFT SUDAN IN MID-1996. --INITIALLY, THE TALEBAN PLEDGED TO SHUT DOWN CAMPS AND, THOUGH REFUSING TO EXPEL BIN LADEN, PROMISED TO KEEP HIM UNDER CONTROL. THE TALEBAN HAVE RENEGED ON BOTH OF THESE PLEDGES. --THE TALEBAN HAVE TAKEN NO ACTION AGAINST BIN LADEN FOR HIS ISSUANCE THIS MONTH OF A SELF-STYLED FATWA URGING MUSLIMS TO ATTACK U.S. INTERESTS, INCLUDING CIVILIANS, AND THE INTERESTS OF COUNTRIES ALLIED WITH THE U.S. --TERRORIST TRAINING CAMPS CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN TALEBAN CONTROLLED AREAS. --DURING AN AUGUST 1997 TRIP TO VISIT CAMPS NEAR KHOWST IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN, BIN LADEN ISSUED PUBLIC ANTI-U.S. STATEMENTS WARNING HE WOULD NOT STOP HIS STRUGGLE UNTIL HE HAD EXPELLED ALL AMERICANS FROM SAUDI ARABIA. --THE TALEBAN FACILITATE THE OPERATION OF THESE CAMPS BY ALLOWING FREE PASSAGE OF ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS TO AND FROM THESE FACILITIES. --WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT SENIOR TALEBAN LEADERS ARE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH USAMA BIN LADEN. THIS RELATIONSHIP IS MANIFEST IN BIN LADEN'S FINANCING LAST YEAR OF A LARGE RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR'S HOUSE IN QANDAHAR. --THE TALEBAN MUST SHARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR USAMA BIN LADEN'S TERRORIST ACTIONS AND INFLAMMATORY STATEMENTS AS LONG AS HE REMAINS A GUEST IN QANDAHAR. --WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL MAKE THESE POINTS TO THE TALEBAN SOONEST. (END POINTS) ALBRIGHT