Afghan leader criticizes Bin Laden as U.S. special forces reported near Kabul

LONDON -- For the first time, an Afghan leader has criticized Osama Bin Laden as the United States has launched an effort to capture the Saudi fugitive billionaire.

Islamic sources said U.S. special forces have arrived in Afghanistan in a mission to capture Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden, Islamic sources said.

Amanat Nangarhari, a member of the central council of the newly-established Hizb-e-Milli-e-Mubarizeen, said Bin Laden has not taken any step to end the war in Afghanistan.

"As an Islamic fighter, Osama should have taken steps to stop the fratricidal war in Afghanistan," Nangarhari said.

Nangarhari's statement was the first criticism made of Bin Laden by any Afghan leader.

The Afghan leader said Bin Laden has remained silent while innocent people were being killed in the country. He said foreigners come to Afghanistan practice terrorism under the guise of jihad, or holy war.

Maulana Fazl Rahman, head of the Pakistani-based World Islamic Association, said U.S. commandos arrived several days ago in Afghanistan. He said the forces are near Kabul in an area controlled by the Russian-backed opposition to the ruling Taliban movement.

Rahman said the commandos are moving toward a base believed to be where Bin Laden is residing. The Islamic leader said the U.S. forces plan to abduct Bin Laden and spirit him out of Afghanistan.

"I believe the U.S. use of force in this connection and its attitude is absolutely wrong," Rahman told German radio. "We have been receiving reports that U.S. commandos have started arriving there [Afghanistan] and that they have tightened their siege around Osama."

The sources said the military government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf has approved the U.S. operation to abduct Bin Laden. They said Musharraf was heavily pressured by Washington to use Pakistan as a base from which to launch operations against Bin Laden.

The U.S. mission apparently hopes to exploit the current fighting in Afghanistan. Opposition troops have made advances against Taliban-controlled areas near Kabul.

Afghan sources said a Taliban assault on Sunday on villages north of Kabul was repelled by opposition forces. About 250 people have been killed in the latest fighting, the sources said. In neighboring Pakistan, Moulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, the leader of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam, has asked Islamabad to establish a ministerial commission to discuss the issue of terrorism with the ruling Taliban faction in Afghanistan.

"Instead of giving statements that Afghanistan is promoting terrorism, we should resolve the matter mutually and not be involved in confrontation," Maulana said.