Taleban statement dismissed by US

Some Muslim protesters still back Osama Bin Laden

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said he doesn't believe the Taleban's statement that Osama Bin Laden is under their control.

Of course, it was just a few days ago that they said they didn't know where he was, so I have no reason to believe anything a Taliban representative has said

Donald Rumsfeld

The Taleban ambassador to Pakistan, Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, announced on Sunday that "Osama is in Afghanistan, but he is at an unknown place for his safety and security".

The Saudi-born militant is the United States' main suspect for the 11 September suicide hijacking attacks, and Washington has demanded that the Taleban hand him over or face punishment for sheltering him.

Mr Rumsfeld said that there was no reason to believe anything the Taleban had to say, adding that it was "self-evident" that they would pay the price if they did not hand over Bin Laden.

Mr Zaeef said Washington could break the stalemate if it were willing to provide proof of Bin Laden's role.

"We say if they change and talk to us, and if they present evidence, we will respect their negotiations and that might change things."

Rumsfeld: 'No reason to believe Taleban'

However, the president of Pakistan, which has been negotiating with the Taleban, said that, although hopes were dim the Taleban would meet the US demands and hand him over, the "doors were open" for further negotiation.

"We are interacting with the Taleban to moderate their views in accordance with the dictates of the world opinion and we are still carrying on doing that," President Pervez Musharraf said in an interview on US television.

'Nonsense'

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz has dismissed as "nonsense" reports that the Saudi authorities would allow Washington to use its bases to attack Afghanistan.

However, he did say Saudi airspace could still be used as his country's contribution.

"We do not accept the presence in our country of a single soldier at war with Muslims or Arabs," Prince Sultan said in comments published on Saudi Arabia's official Okaz newspaper on Sunday.

Prince Sultan appears to have clarified Saudi policy

The BBC Middle East correspondent says this is the clearest indication yet of where Saudi Arabia stands over the western military build up in the Gulf.

The comments imply that American planes could fly over Saudi Arabia but not launch an attack from its territory.

There has been much confusion over how far Saudi Arabia would work with the US since the 11 September attacks.

Saudi officials have hitherto been reluctant to comment publicly, apparently fearful of a backlash if Afghan civilians are killed in any military action.

Osama Bin Laden's main aims include the removal of US forces from Saudi Arabia, which he says defiles Islam, and overthrowing the Saudi monarchy.