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Bush enlisting Pakistan in search for bin Laden

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, September 13, 2001

Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON — In a day of intense diplomatic efforts that increasingly focused on Osama bin Laden, the Bush administration presented Pakistan with a detailed list of demands to help track the Saudi-born militant.

The United States received a broad promise of "unstinted cooperation" from Pakistan and expects a quick response to the detailed list. According to diplomatic sources and administration officials, the requests include:

  • Access to and assistance from Pakistani intelligence.

  • Help in identifying the vast array of networks and agents worldwide sponsored by bin Laden’s Al Qaeda organization.

  • Tracking and closing off bin Laden’s organization’s financial assets and supply lines and cutting off fuel.

  • Closing off the nation’s border with Afghanistan and all militant Islamic schools and camps in Pakistan.

  • Help with whatever retaliatory action the United States decides to take, including access to Pakistani airspace and logistical support. The United States interprets that demand to include deployment of American troops in Pakistan.

    A well-placed diplomat from South Asia conceded that Pakistan may have difficulty with some of the requests.

    "There is the doable and the wishable," said the diplomat. "We have concerns about the possible backlash to some of these requests. That’s the primary concern" of the Pakistani government.

    A senior State Department official Thursday noted: "In some ways, we’re asking the same things of Pakistan as we’re asking of everyone else — information, cutting off access and ending their ability to operate. In Pakistan, the requests are more specific because Al Qaeda (The Base) operates in that area."

    Earlier in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, an adviser and spokesman for Musharraf said the close consultations carried out by the Bush administration so far, and the feeling of horror left by the terrorists’ assault on innocent civilians, makes Pakistanis much more willing to accept a well-explained U.S. military strike.

    Even if some Pakistanis object, the Musharraf government is confident it can contain any protests, Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi said.

    Qureshi said that if the United States were to take "drastic" steps in Afghanistan, it first ought to provide Pakistan’s government with convincing proof and reasons for its actions.

    Reflecting fears of imminent U.S. military action, the remaining foreigners fled the Afghan capital of Kabul Thursday after being advised by their governments to leave. Five chartered aircraft arrived in Islamabad from Kabul, the Afghan capital, during the day. Other foreigners departed by road.

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