Taliban to Islamic conference: U.S.-led strikes 'a violation against

Taliban to Islamic conference: U.S.-led strikes 'a violation against
all Muslims'

Associated Press, Kabul

Afghanistan's Taliban rulers appealed to fellow Islamic nations
Wednesday to help stop United States-led strikes, calling the
American military actions terrorism and a "a violation against
all Muslims."

The letter by Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil
was sent Wednesday to an emergency session of the Organization of
the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Qatar.

"Stop this tragic attack by America," the letter to the 52-
nation conference implored. "This attack is a warning to all
Muslim nations and to the region."

Two Qatari diplomats involved in the conference, speaking on
condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press in Qatar on
Wednesday that letter had not been received.

The letter condemned the attacks on Afghanistan launched
Sunday by the U.S.-led coalition and said U.S. President George
W. Bush's use of the word "crusade" last month showed the United
States was targeting Islam, not terrorism.

"It is our idea that the attacks on Afghanistan is state-
sponsored terrorism the same as they committed against Iraq and
the Palestinians in an attempt to wipe out Islam," the letter
said.

It mentioned Taliban offers to negotiate, which Bush rejected.
He warned before the strikes that the Taliban would face
consequences if they didn't hand over Saudi exile Osama bin
Laden, top suspect in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that
destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon.

Muttawakil's letter said a military operation "against an
Islamic sovereign nation like Afghanistan ... is against the
humanitarian laws of the world."

At the meeting in Doha, Qatar, Muslim leaders questioned
Wednesday whether the evidence supports the strikes on
Afghanistan or if "innocent civilians" are suffering in the war
on terrorism.

Qatar's Emir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, presiding over
the conference, condemned the Sept. 11 attacks but said
retaliation "should not extend to any but those who carried out
those attacks."

Islamic nations are also wary of suggestions by the United
States that it could broaden its military action to other
countries.

Only one country in the world, Pakistan, recognizes the
Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.