World News 17-09-2001 US Tells Afghanistan - Give Up Bin Laden Or Else who: Terrorist Osama bin Laden what: Faces expulsion from Afghanistan as US increases threat where: Afghanistan when: Saturday snippet: "Pakistan will make an urgent attempt today to stave off action by an American-led military coalition by telling its Taliban allies in Afghanistan to surrender Osama bin Laden", writes Anton La Guardia in this morning`s Telegraph. Bin Laden, the prime suspect for last week`s terrorist outrages, has denied involvement and the Taleban is currently refusing to surrender him to US authorities, saying "that the US has no proof of his involvement in the plane suicide mission, or other attacks," reports BBC Online. While the people of Pakistan are divided over its involvement in the latest developments, the US does not expect failure, notes the Guardian: "With thousands of Afghans already fleeing their homes in anticipation of an assault, the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, said: `They will have to make their choice - whether they want to get rid of this curse within their country or face the full wrath of the United States.`" A military operation, revealed in today`s Sun as codenamed Operation Noble Eage, "is poised to begin later this week with a hail of bombs, cruise missiles and terrifying fuel-air `sunshine bombs` capable of incinerating vast areas of land." A Pentagon source, quoted in the Sun, said yesterday: "We`re standing by to go in sooner rather than later - and we`re going in hard. Bin Laden hurt us but he`s given us the stomach for a fight and by God he`s going to get one." [... more]

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