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Laden granted Afghan nationality

Osama bin Laden has been granted Afghan nationality by the Taleban, effectively ruling out his being handed over to the United States, an Online report said on Thursday.

"Now he is not our guest. He is the citizen of Afghanistan and we will not hand him over to the US," a Taleban official said.

Saudi Arabia, the country of Laden's birth, had revoked his nationality.

"The proposal of granting Afghan nationality to Laden had been under consideration after America unleashed its attacks on Afghanistan," the official said.

Now, after the deaths of innocent civilians in the US raids, there was no question of Laden being handed over to Washington, he said.

Among the others who have been granted Afghan nationality are the chief of the defunct Islamic Jihad, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Islamic Jihad leader Sheikh Asim Abdul Rehman, Al Qaeda operational commander Saif-ul-Adil Abu Hafz and deputy operational commander Mohammed Atef.

All four belong to Egypt.

Al-Zawahiri is among those who have been declared "Most Wanted" by the US.

The official pointed out that it was not the first time that Arabs had been granted Afghan nationality. Former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani had granted nationality to some 604 Arab mujahideen when he was in office, he said.

Indo-Asian News Service

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