Hekmatyar helped bin Laden escape

Islamabad, Jan 12 (UNI) Afghan insurgent leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has disclosed that his fighters helped al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden escape intense US bombardment in the Tora Bora mountains in Afghanistan five years ago.

Hekmatyar, a former Afghan prime minister, told Pakistan's Geo TV yesterday that when the United States began its assault on the rugged mountains in late 2001, some of his fighters moved bin Laden, his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri and other associates to ''a safe place'', where he met them later.

Hekmatyar insisted he has not maintained links with al Qaeda.

''We have no organisational link to al Qaeda... We have no military operations outside of Afghanistan.'' Hekmatyar spoke in Pushto language and wore a black turban, a brown coat and a white shirt, The News said, quoting excerpts from reports of the international wire services.

He said he had proposed to the Taliban that the two militant groups should unite in a joint fight against US-led forces in Afghanistan, adding the Taliban leaders did not support the idea.

UNI