Afghanistan frustrates U.S. efforts to capture Bin Laden

WASHINGTON -- The United States is expressing frustration over efforts to capture Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden.

Officials said despite intensive diplomatic and operational efforts Bin Laden appears safe in his hideaway in Afghanistan, protected by the ruling Taliban militia. They said they have failed to win Taliban agreement for Bin Laden's expulsion.

"Unfortunately no," Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering said. "We would hope very much that Pakistan's considerable influence with the Taliban could operate effectively to help bring him to trial, which is what we have been asking for a long period of time."

The U.S. frustration comes as a State Department report scheduled for release on Monday urges Pakistan to fight terrorism. The report lists seven countries as being sponsors of terrorism, according to Middle East Newsline. They are Libya, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Cuba, Sudan and North Korea.

U.S. officials have indicated that Pakistan has withheld cooperation as well in pressuring Taliban to surrender Bin Laden. Last week, Pakistan's Information and Media Development Adviser Javed Jabbar said his country would prefer that Washington relay such a request to Taliban.

"We urge the U.S. government to directly negotiate with the Taliban government of Afghanistan because this is a bilateral issue," Jabbar said.

Pickering told an audience at John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies that United Nations sanctions have not been sufficient to pressure Taliban to surrender Bin Laden. "Unfortunately [there was] not enough effect to bring about the results which the international community is seeking, which is to end terrorism and bring Osama Bin Laden and others who are guilty of such steps to trial,'' he said.

U.S. officials said the United Nations is discussing new sanctions on Taliban. Still, Bin Laden -- accused of masterminding the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998 -- remains popular in Pakistan and Afghanistan and sources said tee shirts with his picture and name are selling well in Peshawar.

The State Department report terms Afghanistan as a "major terrorist threat" because of its continued shelter of Bin Laden.

Pakistani sources said Bin Laden has increased his protection. They said he has changed his bodyguards, who now number 150 men from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Most of his Afghan bodyguards have been dismissed.

Bin Laden is also reported to have 20 advisers -- all from Arab countries.