BBC News Online: World: South Asia

Full text of Taleban statement

BBC radio has for a while been broadcasting false news about Afghanistan and vicious propaganda against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) by its enemies.

The BBC does not broadcast IEA news, or it broadcasts incomplete news which fails to convey the IEA's ideas.

First, the BBC wants to spread vicious propaganda against the IEA on the instruction of the infidels.

Second, after the collapse of the communist regime, some people who had ties with communist parties have been appointed presenters for the Pashto and Dari services of BBC radio.

These people are deeply hostile to Islam, its aspirations and Islamic rule, and belittle Islamic values and Koranic edicts.

For instance, they have deemed the destruction of Buddha statues to be in contravention of Islam.

'Against broadcasting norms'

Moreover, they have been broadcasting interviews with our shameless and conscienceless enemies which are against broadcasting norms.

In turn, they do not broadcast our responses, which are based on the facts.

For instance, in an interview (with the BBC) a professor from an American university, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai (name as transliterated), called the Taleban ignorant, and the Taleban leader's order to destroy the Buddha statues barbaric.

The IEA has many extraordinary examples like this as evidence.