ES UNCLASSIFIED PTQ4 530 RELEASED IN PART Bl 1 4 D CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION SA-01 INFO SLAMA 04450 01 OF 03 PTQ4530 121302Z LOG-00 SRPP-00 INR-00 OIC-02 NFAT-00 ACDA-08 ACDE-00 AID-00 ACQ-01 CIAE-00 DS-00 EUR-01 OIG0-01 FBIE-00 IM-01 I0-00 ADS-00 MMP-00 NEA-01 DCP-01 SCT-00 SS0-00 SS-00 ASDS-01 DSCC-00 SAS-00 019W - -----------------487632 121303Z 38 0 121302Z JUN 98 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7537 INFO AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY TASHKENT AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY PARIS AMCONSUL JEDDAH DIA WASHINGTON DC USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL CCJ2 CCJ3 CCJ5 POLAD AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI USIA WASHDC 8648 USMISSION USUN NEW Y ORK AMEMBASSY SANAA AMEMBASSY DHAKA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SLAMA AMCONSUL LAHORE 04450 01 OF 03 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY ARCHIE M BOLSTER CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL REASON 1 4 D DECLASSIFY AFTER 11 JUN 2013 DATE CASE ID 02 FEB 2005 200404288 121302Z UNCLASSIFIED DODE-00 TEDE-00 NSAE- 00 PRM-01 UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 004450 DEPT FOR SA PAB ANDS CT USIA FORNEA LARSEN LONDON FOR POL TUELLER PARIS FOR POL RAVELING ABU DHABI PLEASE PASS TO DUBAI E O 12958 DECL 6 12 08 TAGS PREL PTER KISL ASEC AF SA SUBJ AFGHANISTAN TALIBAN SAID TO LOOSEN GRIP ON BIN LADIN AS THEY INCREASINGLY TURN TO HIM FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND ADVICE REF ISLAMABAD 4341 AND PREVIOUS U CLASSIFIED BY MICHAEL ANDERSON ACTING POLITICAL COUNSELOR REASONS 1 5 C D 1 C SUMMARY ACCORDING TO VARIOUS SOURCES THE TALIBAN HAVE INCREASINGLY TURNED TO SAUDI TERRORIST FINANCIER OSAMA BIN LADIN FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS WHILE THERE IS WIDESPREAD AGREEMENT THAT HIS INFLUENCE SHOULD NOT BE OVERSTATED THERE IS ALSO SPECULATION THAT SOME TALIBAN LEADERS SEEK OUT BIN LADIN FOR ADVICE IN LIGHT OF BIN LADIN 1 S MAY 26 PRESS CONFERENCE AND RECENT ABC INTERVIEW THERE IS A FEELING AMONG SOURCES THAT THE TALIBAN MAY BE LOOSENING THEIR GRIP ON BIN LADIN PERHAPS AS PART OF A QUID PRO QUO FOR CONTINUED FINANCIAL SUPPORT OTHER OBSERVERS SPECULATE THAT BIN LADIN'S KEY SUPPORTERS IN THE TALIBAN MOVEMENT HAVE BECOME MORE INFLUENTIAL IN RECENT MONTHS AND HAVE SUCCESSFULLY MADE THE CASE TO OTHER TALIBAN THAT BIN LADIN SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE FREEDOM TO OPERATE END SUMMARY ---------------------------------CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ISL AMA 04450 01 OF 03 TURNING TO BIN LADIN FOR SUPPORT 121302Z ---------------------------------- 2 C A NUMBER OF SOURCES REPORT THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THE TALIBAN MOVEMENT IS INCREASINGLY TURNING TO SAUDI TERORIST FINANCIER OSAMA BIN LADIN FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN A JUNE 12 MEETING ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ TOLD POLOFF THAT HE HAS HEARD NUMEROUS REPORTS THAT THE TALIBAN IN PREPARATION FOR THE 1998 WARM WEATHER FIGHT'ING SEASON MADE UNCLASSIFIED Bl UNCLASSIFIED NUMEROUS REQUESTS TO BIN LADIN TO PROVIDE FUNDS TO PURCHASE ARMS AND AMMUNITION FROM INTERNATIONAL GRAY ARMS T SOURCES BIN LADIN WAS ALSO ASKED TO HELP PAY THE SALARIES OF TALIBAN MILITARY FORCES BIN LADIN REPORTEDLY OBLIGED AND PROVIDED THE TALIBAN WITH AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT OF FUNDS FOR THESE PURPOSES I ITOLD POLO F F THAT HIS SOURCES BELIEVE THAT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS PROVIDED TO THE TALIBAN SO FAR IN 1998 WAS CONSIDERABLY LARGER THAN THE AMOUNT HE PROVIDED THE MOVEMENT DURING THE 1996-97 PERIOD NOTE THE TALIBAN BIN LADIN RELATIONSHIP DATES FROM SEPTEMBER 1996 WHEN THE 'TALIBAN CAPTURED NANGARHAR PROVINCE WHERE BIN LADIN WAS LIVING AFTER FLEEING SUDAN IN MID-1996 _IN Js CLOS LINKS WITH THE TALIBAN REPEATED J P TIVE WHf POINTS ABOUT BIN LADIN IN A - JUNE 11 MEETING WITH POLOFF --__ _-- ADDED THAT HE HAS HEARD THAT THE TALIBAN FACING SEVERE EC'ONOMIC CONSTRAINTS ALSO ASKED FOR FUNDS FROM BIN LADIN FOR THE PURCHASE OF COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT INCLUD ING SATELLITE PHONES AND RADIOS THIS EQUIPMENT WHICH BIN LADIN AGREED TO PURCHASE IS BEING USED BY THE TALIBAN FOR MILITARY PURPOSES AND TO LINK TALIBAN MOVEMENT OFFICES AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH KANDAHAR WHICH SERVES AS THE TALIBAN MOVEMENT 1 S HEADQUARTERS CONFIDENTIAL Bl Bl Bl Bl 1 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 SLAMA 04450 01 OF 03 121302Z ASKING FOR ADVICE 4 C SOURCES HAVE ALSO ASSERTED TO POLOFF THAT THE TALIBAN MOVEMENT LEADERSHIP IS ALSO TURNING TO BIN LADIN FOR GUIDANCE ON VARIOUS ISSUES FOR EXAMPLE WHO MAINTAIN s c L o s E - L - I 'N 'K 'S -- T O T H E P Ac- S - H - TUN TR r 'B 'E' 's --' 'WH I C H F O RM - T H E - T 'ALIBAN I S MAIN BASE OF SUPPORT TOLD POLOFF JUNE 11 THAT HE HAS HEARD MANY REPORTS THAT TALIBAN LEADERS SPEND A LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME MEETING WITH BIN LADIN WHEN HE BIN LADIN IS IN KANDAHAR -- KANDAHAR IS A VERY SMALL TOWN AND TALIBAN LEADERS ARE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH BIN LADIN HIGH-LEVEL TALIBAN OfFICIALS INCLUDING KANDAHAR REGIONAL GOVERNOR MULLAH HASSAN AND DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER JALIL PURPORTEDLY USE THESE MEETINGS TO ASK BIN LADIN FOR ADVICE ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE UN AND THE WEST INCLUDING THE U S TERSELY OBSERVED TO POLOFF THAT BIN LADIN ' S ADVICE I I UNCLASSIFIED Bl Bl UNCLASSIFIED TO HE TALIBAN LEADERS WAS PROBABLY NOT MODERATE IN THRUST AND HE ADDED I SOMETIMES WONDER IF THE TALIBAN ' S HARD-LINE TONE ABOU'l' CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ4531 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 SLAMA 04450 02 OF 03 PTQ4531 121303Z ACTION SA-01 CIAE-00 ACDA-08 ACDE-00 AID-00 ACQ-01 DS-00 EUR-01 OIG0-01 FBIE-00 IM-01 I0-00 ADS-00 MMP-00 NEA-01 DCP- 01 ASDS-01 DSCC-00 SCT-00 sso-oo SS-00 SAS-00 019W -------------- -- --487637 121303Z 38 0 121302Z JUN 98 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7538 INFO AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY TASHKENT AMEMBASSY LONDON AMEMBASSY PARIS INFO LOG-00 SRPP-00 INR- 00 OIC-02 NFAT-00 UNCLASSIFIED DODE-00 TEDE-00 NSAE-00 PRM-01 UNCLASSIFIED AMCdNSUL JEDD AH DIA WASHINGTON DC USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL CCJ2 CCJ3 CCJ5 POLAD AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI USIA WASHDC 8649 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK AMEMBASSY SANAA AMEMBASSY DHAKA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 SLAMA AMCONSUL LAHORE 04450 02 OF 03 121303Z CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 02 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 004450 DEPT FOR SA PAB ANDS CT USIA FORNEA LARSEN LONDON FOR POL TUELLER PARIS FOR POL RAVELING ABU DHABI PLEASE PASS TO DUBAI E O 12958 DECL 6 12 08 TAGS PREL PTER KISL ASEC AF SA SUBJ AFGHANISTAN TALIBAN SAID TO LOOSEN GRIP ON BIN LADIN AS THEY INCREASINGLY TORN TO HIM FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND ADVICE REF ISLAMABAD 434 IL AND PREVIOUS THE UN REFLE CTS BIN LAD IN' S INFLUENCE 5 l C HOWEVER b AND OTHERS INCLUDINGJ AGREED T ·r BIN LAD IN' s INFLUENCE ONHE IALIBAN Mvv J VJENT SHOULD NOT BE OVERSTATED AS NOTED BY I I I t 11 THE TALIBAN MAY ASK BIN LADIN FOR GUIDANCE EVERY NOW AND THEN BUT THEY ARE SUSPICIOUS AND HE IS NOT TRUSTED THAT MOCH FOR EXAMPLE HE IS NOT PART OF THEIR INNER CIRCLE WHICH ONLY CONSISTS OF AFGHANS LOOSENING THEIR GRIP UNCLASSIFIED Bl UNCLASSIFIED 6 C THAT SAID POLOFF ' S SOURCES ADDED THAT THERE APPEARS TO BE A QUID PRO QUO FOR BIN LADIN'S PROVISION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE TALIBAN EXPLAINED IT THIS WAY FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR CONFIDENTIAL I Bl CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 ISLAMA 04450 02 OF 03 121303Z HIS SUPPORT BIN LADIN IS ALLOWED TO REMAIN IN AFGHANISTAN AS A GUEST OF THE TALIBAN SECOND THE TALIBAN ARE GIVING HIM MORE FREEDOM TO OPERATE IN RESPONSE TO THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE HE IS PROVIDING THE MOVEMENT EXPANDING ON THIS LAST POINT SPECULATED THAT BIN LADIN ' S RECENT ACTIVITIES -- THE MAY 26 PRESS CONFERENCE IN KHOST REF A HIS RECENT INTERVIEW WITH ABC NEWS ETC -- COULD BE TRACED TO A NEWFOUND WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE TALIBAN TOWARD ALLOWING BIN LADIN FREE REIN TO TRAVEL INSIDE AFGHANISTAN AND TO MEET THE PRESS IWENT so FAR AS TO ASSERT THAT BIN LADIN ATTENDED A MAY MEETING OF THE TALIBAN INNER SHURA THE MOVEMENT'S MAIN GOVERNING BODY AND RECEIVED THE SHURA'S APPROVAL TO TRAVEL TO KHOST TO GIVE HIS PRESS CONFERENCE SAID HE HAD EVEN RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT BIN LADIN HAD TRAVELLED TO KHOST FOR THE PRESS CONFERENCE ON A TALIBAN HELICOPTER NOTE IN A MAY 29 CONVERSATION WITH POLOFF TALIBAN ENVOY TO PAKISTAN ABDUL HAKIM MOJAHID DENIED THAT THE TALIBAN HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF BIN LAD IN ' S PRESS CONFERENCE MUJAHID LATER TOLD POLOFF THAT THE TALIBAN HAD LECTURED BIN LADIN ABOUT THE PRESS CONFERENCE DEMANDING THAT HE CLEAR ALL OF HIS ACTIVITIES WITH THE TALIBAN LEADERSHIP SEE REF A I I Bl Bl Bl STRONG NETWORK OF SUPPORTERS 7 i C IN A JUNE 10 MEETING WITH POLOFF I COMMENTED THAT HE AGREE WITH THE VIEW THAT BIN LADIN APPEARS TO HAVE GAINED MORE AUTONOMY FROM TALIBAN CONTROL IN RECENT WEEKS HOWEVER ATTRIBUTED THIS MORE TO WHAT HE CHARACTERIZED AS THE GROWING STRENGTH OF BIN LADIN'S SUPPORTERS WITHIN THE TALIBAN MOVEMENT THAN TO THE CONFIDENTIAL I UNCLASSIFIED Bl UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 04 SLAMA 04450 02 OF 03 121303Z TALIBAN'S REPAYING BIN LADIN WITH FAVORS FOR HIS FINANCIAL SUPPORT ACCO RDING TO BIN LADIN IS BENEFITING FROM THE ENHANCED STRENGTH WITHIN THE MOVEMENT OF SUCH MEN AS JALALUDDIN HAQQANI A WELL-KNOWN PRO-TALIBAN COMMANDER AND SYED ABDULLAH A K A HAJI AGHA THE GOVERN R OF KHOST PROVINCE WHERE BIN LADIN HELD HIS MAY 26 PRESS CONFERENCE AND ABDUL KABIR THE DEPUTY HEAD OF THE TALIBAN CARETAKER COUNCIL IN KABUL AND A CLOSE ASSOCIATE OF HAQQ ANI • I ICLAIMED THAT ALL THREE OF THESE MEN ARE KNOWN TO HAVE GAINED INFLUENCE IN TALIBAN CIRCLES IN RECENT MONTHS IDEOLOGICALLY CLOSE TO BIN LADIN'S INTERNATIONALIST ISLAMIST POSITIONS THESE MEN HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ARGUED ITH OTHER TALIBAN IN RECENT MONTHS TO REDUCE CONTROLS ON BIN LAD IN _ _ _ _ ___ LATED COMMENT C ALTHOUGH LITTLE OF A PRECISE NATURE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TALIBAN BIN LADIN RELATIONSHIP THERE HAS BEEN THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE TALIBAN HAVE LARGELY HELD BIN LAD IN AT ARMS LENGTH THAT IS TO 8 CONFIDENTIAL NNNNPTQ4532 UNCLASSIFIED Bl Bl Bl UNCLASSIFIED CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 01 ACTION SA-01 INFO SLAMA 04450 03 OF 03 PTQ4532 121303Z LOG- 00 SRPP-00 INR-00 OIC- 02 NFAT-00 ACDA-08 ACDE - 00 AID-00 ACQ-01 CIAE-00 DS-00 EUR-01 - OIG0-01 FBIE-00 IM-01 I0-00 ADS - 00 MMP-00 NEA- 01 DCP-01 SCT-00 SS0- 00 SS-00 ASDS-01 DSCC-00 SAS-00 019W -------- ------- --- 48763A 121303Z 38 0 12l302Z JUN 98 FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7539 INFO AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE AMEMBASSY TASHKENT AMEMBASSY LONDON 1 DODE-00 TEDE- 00 NSAE-00 PRM-01 AMEMBASSY PARIS AMCONSUL JEDDAH DIA WASHINGTON DC USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL CCJ2 CCJ3 CCJ5 POLAD AMEMBASSY CAIRO AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI USIA WASHDC 8650 USMISSION USUN NEW YORK AMEMBASSY SAN AA AMEMBASSY DHAKA CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 ISLAMA AMCONSUL LAHORE 04450 03 OF 03 121303Z CONFIDENTIAL SECTION 03 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 004450 DEPT FOR SA PAB ANDS CT USIA FORNEA LARSEN LONDON FOR POL TUELLER PARIS FOR POL RAVELING ABU DHABI PLEASE PASS TO DUBAI UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED E O 12958 DECL 6 12 08 TAGS PRELr PTER KISL ASEC AE SA SUBJ AFGHANISTAN TALIBAN SAID TO LOOSEN GRIP ON BIN LADIN AS THEY INCREASINGLY TURN TO HIM FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND ADVICE REF ISLAMABAD 4341 AND PREVIOUS SAY THEY ALLOWED HIM TO REMAIN IN AFGHANISTAN BUT THEY DID NOT NECESSARILY BUY INTO HIS INTERNATIONALIST ISLAMIST OBJECTIVES FOR VARIOUS REASONS · INCLUDING THE RECENT INTENSIFICATION IN BIN LADIN'S ACTIVITIES THE FEELING IS GROWING AMONG OBSERVERS THAT THE TALIBAN BIN LADIN RELATIONSHIP MAY NOT BE SO PAT THAT IT MAY BE IN FLUX AND POSSIBLY BECOMING CONSIDERABLY CLOSER REASONS THAT THE RELATIONSHIP COULD BE DRAWING CLOSER INCLUDE THE TALIBAN'S INCREASING NEED FOR BIN LADIN 1 S MONEY IN ADDITION INTERNATIONALLY ISOLATED BECAUSE OF THEIR BRUTAL SOCIAL POLICIES AND EXPOSED AS THEY ARE TO BIN LADIN 1 S EXTREMIST RHETORIC THE TALIBAN COULD BE FINDING THEMSELVES MORE IN TUNE WITH BIN LADIN ' S PERVERSE WORLD VIEW SIMONS CONFIDENTIAL NNNN 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