News

DATE=8/3/1999 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=PAKISTAN - BIN LADEN (L ONLY) NUMBER=2-252448 BYLINE=AYAZ GUL DATELINE=ISLAMABAD INTERNET=YES CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: The United States has lodged a protest (Tuesday) in Pakistan with an Islamic leader who threatened to declare war on American nationals in the event of another U-S attack on hideouts of alleged terrorist Osama bin Laden. Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad. TEXT: A senior U-S diplomat in Islamabad made the protest in a 90-minute meeting with Maullana Fazlur Rehman, leader of Pakistan's second largest Islamic party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam. Mr. Rehman's party has recently held a series of anti- U-S rallies against what it says are plans by Washington to launch an attack on neighboring Afghanistan to destroy hideouts of alleged terrorist Osama bin Laden. During a rally in the Pakistani capital last Friday, Mr. Rehman threatened to go to war against American nationals if Mr. bin Laden is attacked. This has led to tightening of security of the U-S interests in Pakistan. A U-S embassy spokesman, Lee James Irven, says the meeting with Mr. Rehman took place at the request of U-S officials. /// IRVEN ACT /// The purpose was to express U-S concern over statements made by Maullana Fazlur Rehman and members of his party which threatened the safety of U-S citizens and as you know we take all such threats seriously. /// END ACT /// But Mr. Rehman, whose followers strongly support Osama bin Laden and the Taleban Islamic movement in neighboring Afghanistan, says his edict will be valid as long as the threat of an American attack on bin Laden remains. Mr. Rehman says an attack on Afghanistan will be considered an act of aggression against Pakistan. /// REHMAN IN URDU, FADE UNDER /// The Islamic leader says he told American officials (in the meeting) that if he does not feel safe in his land because of the United States, then how could Americans in the region feel safe? Washington has been seeking the extradition of Osama bin Laden from Afghanistan, where he is under the protection the Taleban Islamic movement. The U-S government accuses bin Laden of masterminding last year's bombings of two U-S embassies in Africa, in which more than 200 people died. Shortly after the bombings, the United States launched cruise-missile attacks on Afghanistan to destroy Mr. bin Laden's terrorist training camps, but failed to root out the Saudi militant. (signed) NEB/AG/gm 03-Aug-1999 14:34 PM EDT (03-Aug-1999 1834 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .