Taliban Could Hand Over Bin Laden

LONDON, Wednesday - A senior minister in Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban regime has offered a last-minute deal to hand over suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden, the Guardian reported on Wednesday, citing senior Pakistani officials. The Taliban proposed for the first time to hand over bin Laden for trial in a country other than the US without asking to first see evidence, in return for a halt to the bombing of Afghanistan, the paper said. The White House on Tuesday rejected the idea. “The president is not pursuing such a course because he does not think that it would be constructive,” White House spokesman said. Bush on Sunday reiterated there would be no negotiation with the Taliban, rejecting the regime’s offer. The Guardian said the Taliban offer was made during a secret visit to Islamabad on Monday by Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil, the regime’s foreign minister, who met CIA and Pakistani spy officers. Ends