Letters to the Editor

• @ Iokannan - more from down the memory hole

  [Read the article: David Broder: Embodiment of Beltway values]
  [Read more letters about this article: Here]

  "Let's also keep in mind the guy responsible for 9/11 was granted sanctuary in Afghanistan at the time, so a sense of proportion is needed as well."

  Actually Mullah Omar and the Taleban government offered to turn over Bin Laden on two eminently reasonable conditions: That America stop bombing them, and that America provide evidence that Bin Laden was guilty.

  Bush rejects Taliban offer to hand Bin Laden over

  Sunday October 14, 2001

  President George Bush rejected as "non-negotiable" an offer by the Taliban to discuss turning over Osama bin Laden if the United States ended the bombing in Afghanistan.

  Returning to the White House after a weekend at Camp David, the president said the bombing would not stop, unless the ruling Taliban "turn [bin Laden] over, turn his cohorts over, turn any hostages they hold over." He added, "There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt. We know he's guilty". In Jalalabad, deputy prime minister Haji Abdul Kabir - the third most powerful figure in the ruling Taliban regime - told reporters that the Taliban would require evidence that Bin Laden was behind the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, but added: "we would be ready to hand him over to a third country".

  The offer came a day after the Taliban's supreme leader rebuffed Bush's "second chance" for the Islamic militia to surrender Bin Laden to the US.

  Mullah Mohammed Omar said there was no move to "hand anyone over".

  Taliban 'ready to discuss' Bin Laden handover if bombing halts

  The Taliban would be ready to discuss handing over Osama bin Laden to a neutral country if the US halted the bombing of Afghanistan, a senior Taliban official said today.

  Afghanistan's deputy prime minister, Haji Abdul Kabir, told reporters that the Taliban would require evidence that Bin Laden was behind the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US.

  "If the Taliban is given evidence that Osama bin Laden is involved" and the bombing campaign stopped, "we would be ready to hand him over to a third country", Mr Kabir added.

  The Taliban Information Minister, Qudrutullah Jamal, said, 'Anyone who is responsible for this act, Osama or not, we will not side with him. We told [the Pakistan delegation] to give us proof that he did it, because without that how can we give him up?' (Independent, 19 Sept., p. 1)

  On 21 Sept., Ambassador Zaeef said, 'We are not ready to hand over Osama bin Laden without evidence' (Times, 22 Sept., p. 1). When US Secretary of State Colin Powell promised to publish the dossier of evidence against bin Laden (an offer subsequently withdrawn), Ambassador Zaeef responded positively. 'The ambassador said it was "good news" that the US intended to produce its evidence against Mr bin Laden. This could help to solve the issue "otherwise than fighting".' (Independent, 25 Sept., p. 3)

  This offer was rejected by George W Bush who responded, "There's no need to discuss innocence or guilt. We know he's guilty."

  Of course there was no more evidence implicating Bin Laden then (about 1 month after the 911 attack) then there is now...

  On June 5, 2006, the Muckraker Report contacted the FBI Headquarters, (202) 324-3000, to learn why Bin Laden’s Most Wanted poster did not indicate that Usama was also wanted in connection with 9/11. The Muckraker Report spoke with Rex Tomb, Chief of Investigative Publicity for the FBI. When asked why there is no mention of 9/11 on Bin Laden’s Most Wanted web page, Tomb said, “The reason why 9/11 is not mentioned on Usama Bin Laden’s Most Wanted page is because the FBI has no hard evidence connecting Bin Laden to 9/11.”

  Surprised by the ease in which this FBI spokesman made such an astonishing statement, I asked, “How this was possible?” Tomb continued, “Bin Laden has not been formally charged in connection to 9/11.” I asked, “How does that work?” Tomb continued, “The FBI gathers evidence. Once evidence is gathered, it is turned over to the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice than decides whether it has enough evidence to present to a federal grand jury. In the case of the 1998 United States Embassies being bombed, Bin Laden has been formally indicted and charged by a grand jury. He has not been formally indicted and charged in connection with 9/11 because the FBI has no hard evidence connected Bin Laden to 9/11.”

  And please, don't tell me about the audio recordings found on the internet that "prove" Bin Laden is guilty.

  Permalink Sunday, June 8, 2008 04:08 PM