Taliban rule out Osama's hand

By Our Staff Reporter ISLAMABAD, Sept 11: Afghan ambassador to Islamabad Mulla Abdul Salam Zaeef condemned terrorist attacks on Pentagon and the World Trade Centre, and called for a thorough investigation into the attacks. Soon after the attacks in Washington and New York on Tuesday, Mulla Zaeef called a press conference at his residence, and denied Osama bid Laden's involvement in the attacks. He clarified that Taliban would not allow Osama to use Afghan soil for carrying out such activities. "We have taken over all means of communications from him (Osama) and he has no contact with the outside world," the ambassador said. Mulla Zaeef called for a thorough inquiry into the attacks before any punitive action. Asked whether they feared any US attack on Afghanistan, the ambassador said: "We do not expect any attack without completion of investigation." If any attack was carried out by the US it would be very unfortunate, he remarked, Reuters add: "What happened in the United States was/not a job of ordinary people. It could have been the work of governments. Osama bin Laden cannot do this work, neither us," Taliban spokesman Abdul Hai Mutmaen told Reuters from Kandahar. 'We are not supporting terrorism. Osama does not have the capability. We condemn this," Mulla Mutmaen said. "This could have been the act of either internal enemies of the United States or its major rivals. Osama cannot do this work." Afghan Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil told a hastily convened news conference in Kabul that he condemned the attack and there could'be no reason for US reprisal attacks on Afghanistan. He said there had been no contact with the United States. "Our policy was very clear, even from the beginning. We have criticized and will now criticize terrorism in all its forms," he said.