BBC News Online: World: South Asia

Bush unveils 'most wanted' list

Bush: 'Now is the time to draw a line in the sand'

Speaking at the FBI headquarters in Washington, Mr Bush vowed to "shine the light of justice" on the 22 suspects named on the list.

His comments came as anti-aircraft fire erupted over the Afghan capital, Kabul, where residents said another raid was under way.

Heavy explosions were reported around Kabul's airport and a military academy east of the city was reportedly hit.

The Associated Press news agency said most of the anti-aircraft fire appeared to come from the west of the city around Rishkore and Kargah, where Bin Laden is believed to have training camps.

Power supplies to Kabul are reported to have been cut off.

The southern city of Kandahar - where the ruling Taleban have their headquarters - and a Taleban military base near the border with Pakistan are also said to have come under attack.

Mullah Omar appeal

The Taleban spiritual leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, appealed to Muslims around the world on Wednesday to back the Taleban in their fight against the United States.

In a pre-recorded statement played to the BBC by Taleban officials, Mullah Omar said that although US troops were strong, they were not invincible.

It was his first statement since the US air strikes started on Sunday night.

Earlier, the Taleban gave Bin Laden free rein to battle the United States. Previously he had been barred from using telephones, fax machines and the internet.

"Now that America has begun its war against Muslims, the situation is totally changed, and there are no restrictions on Osama," Abdul Hai Muttman, spokesman for the regime, told the BBC's Pashto service.

"Jihad is an obligation on all Muslims of the world," he said.

US media warning

Meanwhile, the Bush administration has urged US television executives to "exercise judgement" in broadcasting statements by Bin Laden and his associates, warning that they may include coded incitements to violence.

"At best, Osama Bin Laden's message is propaganda, calling on people to kill Americans. At worst, he could be issuing orders to his followers to initiate such attacks," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

The network executives said they agreed to review incoming feeds of such statements, rather than simply broadcasting them as they come in.

Earlier a spokesman for Bin Laden's militant group, al-Qaeda, urged all Muslims to join in a holy war against the United States and to attack American interests around the world. His statement was broadcast by the Qatar-based television station al-Jazeera.

In other developments:

• The Taleban deny US claims that the country's defence systems were destroyed, saying they continue to respond to attacks with anti-aircraft fire
• The US State Department tells US embassies to stock up on antibiotics in case of anthrax attacks
• US Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United Nations could play an important role in Afghanistan if and when the Taleban are removed from power
• UK Prime Minister Tony Blair holds talks with Sultan Qaboos of Oman and visits British troops at the start of a three-day visit to the Middle East
• Italian police arrest three suspected Islamic militants in Milan allegedly linked to Bin Laden
• Pakistan decides to allow US forces to use at least two of its airports during the ongoing military operation
• The Taleban ambassador in Islamabad tells the BBC that Bin Laden is still in Afghanistan - but he does not know where
• Muslim leaders warn the US-led alliance not to extend the anti-terrorism strikes to other Muslim or Arab countries
• French journalist Michel Peyrard and his two Pakistani guides are charged by the Taleban with spying

Border clash

Pakistan officials have confirmed there was a shooting incident on the border with Afghanistan on Tuesday but have given differing accounts of what happened.

A border official said there was a clash "with a group of armed Taleban at a frontier post".

Other officials said four Pakistani troops were wounded in two hours of exchanges.

But army spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi said a group of Afghans had been trying to cross into Pakistan when they encountered a border guard patrol.

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