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National Security Archive Update, March 19, 2004 The Taliban File Part III Pakistan Provided Millions of Dollars, Arms, and "Buses Full of Adolescent Mujahid" to the Taliban in the 1990's For more information contact Sajit Gandhi - [log in to unmask] 202/994-7239 http://www.nsarchive.org Washington, D.C. - Pakistan provided millions of dollars, arms, and "buses full of adolescent mujahid," to the Taliban in the 1990's, according to declassified State Department documents obtained by the National Security Archive under the Freedom of Information Act, and posted today on the Web. This third installment of The Taliban File, edited by Archive research associate Sajit Gandhi, includes: * An August 27, 1997 cable in which U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Thomas Simons comments on Pakistan's claim that its total aid to the Taliban through the end of 1996 had been only 20 million rupees (approximately one-half million dollars). Simons notes that this amount "did not include access to Pak wheat and POL, or the trucks and buses full of adolescent mujahid crossing the frontier shouting 'Allahu Akbar,' and going into the line with a day or two of weapons training." "That," Simons' noted, "was Pakistan's real aid." * An October 30, 1997 United Nations cable in which former United Nations Special Mission for Afghanistan (UNSMA) charge Norbert Hull candidly discusses his meetings with Pakistan Foreign Ministry official Iftikhar Murshed. Murshed indicated to Hull that Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif "bluntly demanded that the Taliban make a gesture of goodwill," despite Mullah Rabbani's claim that Afghan interim President Barnahuddin Rabbani was politically irrelevant. * A March 9, 1998 cable on a meeting between the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Alan Eastham and a source who appears to be Pakistan Foreign Ministry official Iftikhar Murshed, who for the first time admitted that Pakistan provided arms supplies to the Taliban. * A July 1, 1998 cable indicating that the Pakistani Prime Minister had recently signed off on a 300 million rupee (approximately 6.5 million dollars) payment to Taliban officials and military commanders, despite the potential that Pakistan - due to sanctions imposed after its May 1998 nuclear tests - could potentially default on its own international loans. * A July 2, 1998 cable that not only confirms the planned Pakistani 300 million rupee (approximately 6.5 million dollars) payment, but also indicates that even though certain Taliban officials thought it might be easier to "force bin Laden out" of Afghanistan rather than trying to control him, Supreme Taliban leader Mullah Omar's commitment to Osama bin Laden (UBL) precluded this from happening. This cable also shows U.S. concern over repressive Taliban edicts discriminating against women. http://www.nsarchive.org _________________________________________________________ THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The Archive collects and publishes declassified documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A tax-exempt public charity, the Archive receives no U.S. government funding; its budget is supported by publication royalties and donations from foundations and individuals. _________________________________________________________ PRIVACY NOTICE The National Security Archive does not and will never share the names or e-mail addresses of its subscribers with any other organization. Once a year, we will write you and ask for your financial support. We may also ask you for your ideas for Freedom of Information requests, documentation projects, or other issues that the Archive should take on. We would welcome your input, and any information you care to share with us about your special interests. But we do not sell or rent any information about subscribers to any other party. _________________________________________________________