Author: Agence France Presse
Publication: Central Chronicle,
Bhopal
Date: June 25, 2001
Supporters of Saudi-born extremist
Osama Bin Laden are preparing to hit US and Israeli interests around the
world, an Arab television channel has reported.
"I met with Bin Laden near Kandahar
(Afghanistan) over the last few days and his main supporters said in front
of him that there will be a big surprise over the next two weeks," a correspondent
for the Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) said Saturday.
"It will be a hard hit against US
and Israeli targets across the world," the reporter said.
Among the Bin Laden supporters quoted
were Abu Hafs, considered as Bin Laden's right-hand man, and Ayman Al-Zawahirit,
the leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad.
The United States on Friday ordered
its war fleet in the Gulf to put to sea because of what it termed credible
terrorist threats and published a worldwide warning for US citizens travelling
abroad.
Washington holds Bin Laden responsible
for the 1998 bombings of its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed
more than 200 people.
"For the entire interview Bin Laden
was silent, probably because he received instructions from the Taliban
not to speak to the press," the reporter said.
"The fighters of Bin Laden are on
a state of alert," he said, adding that "Draconian security precautions"
had been taken for his visit to the Bin Laden camp.
"I was not authorised to film the
interview, only to record it," he said. Meanwhile, the Taliban regime in
Afghanistan said it was watching the activities of Osama Bin Laden and
he would not be allowed to launch attacks on foreign targets from Afghanistan.
"All Osama activities are under
control. He has no facilities to use Afghan territory against any country,"
Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Usman Sheryar said. Sheryar dismissed
the television report saying he doubted its credibility.
