New Delhi, June 03: The most wanted international terrorist Osama bin Laden and chief of Taliban Mullah Omar were "safe and alive" in Afghanistan and were operating against American forces, senior leader of Muthaida-Majlis-e-Amal, a coalition partner in Pakistan government, Maulana Samiul Haq has said. In an interview with a Pakistani newspaper published today, Haq said, "Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar are alive and safe, and operating in Afghanistan against American forces."
"They are sending out messages and, therefore, must be in touch with some people," he said but added that he did not know their exact whereabouts. Brushing aside US claims that several of high profile Taliban leaders had been arrested, he said the fact was that "many of their (US) soldiers" have been killed.
Haq is the chief of Jamiat Ulema Islam (Sami) faction and his seminary, the Darul Uloom Akora Khatak, actively participated in the Afghan war. Mullah Omar is a former student of the seminary.
MMA, which is ruling the North West Frontier Province of the country, is also a coalition partner in the Jamali government. The government in this province had unanimously adopted a bill to introduce Islamic Sharia law in the region. Bureau Report