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