October 7, 2001 4:30pm EDT
TALIBAN CALLS U.S. STRIKES 'TERRORIST ACT'

The Taliban's ambassador to Pakistan today condemned what he called "brutal" U.S. attacks against targets inside Afghanistan.

"These brutal attacks are horrendous, terrorist acts, as inhuman as any in the world," Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef said in a statement. "America will never achieve its political goals by launching bestial attacks on the Muslim people of Afghanistan.

"Afghanistan is the victim of American arrogance and expansionism. It wants to snatch from the Afghan Muslim people the present Islamic system."

The ambassador told news agencies this afternoon both Osama bin Laden, prime suspect in last month's attacks against the U.S., and Mullah Mohammad Omar, supreme leader of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia, are still alive.

Reports from media outlets say a variety of areas inside the country have been targeted, including the cities of Kandahar, Jalalabad, Harat and the capital of Kabul.

Bin Laden himself released a videotaped statement through Al-Jazeera television, saying the U.S. was "hit by God in one of its softest spots" on Sept. 11.

"America is full of fear from its north to its south, from its west to its east. Thank God for that," bin Laden said.

"When the sword falls on the United States, they cry for their children and they cry for their people. The least you can say about these people is that they are sinners," bin Laden said. "They have helped evil triumph over good."

The U.S. had put increasing pressure on the Taliban to hand bin Laden over, threatening strikes if the group failed to do so.

The Taliban had refused to surrender bin Laden without evidence of his involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks.