Fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has told a Russian weekly that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is still alive and that the "fire" of war will burn down Washington.
"Osama was helping us during the war with the Russians and he will not abandon us now," Omar told Argumenty i Fakty, which published the interview on Wednesday.
Omar gave no indication where Bin Laden might be hiding and refused to acknowledge he was responsible for the September 11 attacks.
"Until a person is tried, he is not guilty," Omar said. "If America does not stop its unjust war against Islam, events similar to those of September 11 will repeat themselves on its soil.
"A holy war is only beginning. The fire of this war will reach America and burn down its capital." - Sapa-AFP