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America Under Attack: Taliban Press Conference
Aired September 11, 2001 - 12:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(CONTINUING BREAKING NEWS)
BROWN: Hillary, I need to interrupt you...
This is a Taliban spokesman talking now in Kabul, I believe. This is coming to us by videophone from Afghanistan. And I am not hearing, perhaps you guys are, but I am not hearing him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we should remind our viewers that Afghanistan was one of the sites that was hit three years ago by the United States.
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Islamic (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of Afghanistan has already explicitly said its position about terrorism.
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have criticized (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of criticism as Afghanistan has (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and has become the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the terrorism, and we -- you are now criticizing (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Terrorism is terrifying and hateful -- hatred or hateful manner.
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And this incident is from the humanitarian point of view should be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and very terrifying incident.
Any questions?
QUESTION: Have you received any kind of information, any kind of communication from the United States government?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No contact up till now They might be busy or they'll surely be busy in their rescue operation. So they (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but up till now no communication from them. QUESTION: Does the Taliban categorically condemn these attacks on the United States?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our policy was very clear from the beginning, and we have criticized and even now we criticize terrorism in (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
QUESTION: Can you rule out any involvement by Osama bin Laden?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Up till now, no one has blamed or accused him.
QUESTION: The Taliban have said that they will maintain Mr. bin Laden without communications, unable to communicate. Can you be convinced that this time that your policy of keeping him without communication has been effective in the recent months?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No change in our policy in that regard.
QUESTION: Do you think the policy is working?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
QUESTION: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) turn to Osama bin Laden, and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has been mentioned as possibly having a hand in this. Are you concerned that Afghanistan could be on the receiving end of incrimination (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the attacks?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that even if someone has taken his name in the media might just because he name -- his name was repeatedly mentioned in the past in the comments (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
QUESTION: But the second half of the question, are you concerned that Afghanistan could receive reprise attacks?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't see or foresee any difficulty in this regard because there is no reason for it.
QUESTION: If it were to happen, if there were to be attacks, what would be the implication of being of such a situation?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
QUESTION: As Jonathan said, if there were to be reprisals against Afghanistan, what would the implications of that be?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a little bit early to say at this stage, but as we said that we criticize all forms of criticism for these attacks. And we can call it (UNINTELLIGIBLE) terrorism.
QUESTION: You have also -- there's also been concern expressed about Arabs, mercenaries, fighters in Afghanistan, and Arab allegations that there may be an Arab connection to these act of terrorism (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Can you talk to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- can you rule out any Arab links?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is a very big and enormous incident, so just connected to some people that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) logic cannot even accept it. So in my opinion it might not be justified.
QUESTION: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), are you surprised that the United States has received this sort of attack?
(SPEAKING IN NATIVE TONGUE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Initially (ph), because this might be the only and the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) kind of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the history of the United States (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
QUESTION: What I'm getting at, do you think the United States has to had invited this given its policy around the world and the growing resentment (UNINTELLIGIBLE) United States?
What I'm saying -- suggesting is that -- and the United States...
(CONTINUING BREAKING NEWS)
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