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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: United States Tells Taliban Hand Bin Laden Over

Aired October 01, 2001 - 08:01   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: No question he is the most wanted man in the world right now and the Taliban say terror suspect Osama bin Laden is under their control.

CNN's Tom Mintier is following developments from neighboring Pakistan -- Tom.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

An interesting twist, the Taliban now saying that they indeed have Osama bin Laden but the United States has made it very clear they don't want to negotiate for handing him over. They say simply, hand him over.

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MINTIER: While there is no assurances that the U.S. military might wait that two weeks that that trial continues, they also weren't expecting to hear that the Taliban has located Osama bin Laden and now have him under their control. The United States says very directly, still the same message: hand him over -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Tom, when the Taliban says it's prepared to negotiate, give us the parameters of some kind of discussion? Even though the U.S. says it won't negotiate, what might be put on the table?

MINTIER: Well, I think the Taliban is saying you know show us the evidence, like many other leaders around the world, but they are saying it a little stronger. They realize that they are in the crosshairs of potential military action and now are saying, you know, we would like to see the evidence, we are willing to talk, you are wanting to, you know, perform aggression on Afghanistan and its people. Basically if you look at it clearly through clean glasses, it is a desperate attempt to try to get something moving.

Now Pakistan has sent two delegations into Kandahar and they've come back empty handed both times. No idea if there's going to be a third foray in or not, but today at the Foreign Ministry briefing, they talked about keeping that window of opportunity open with the Taliban. The Pakistanis are the only ones that still have diplomatic relations. There's only one embassy outside of Afghanistan and that is here in Islamabad, the only one. There used to be representation in Saudi Arabia, in UAE, United Arab Emirates, but they've already severed ties with the Taliban so the only place you'll find a Taliban ambassador is right here in Pakistan in Islamabad.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Tom Mintier, thanks much from Islamabad.

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