| Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 15, 2001 |
Taliban Rleases 8 Foreign Aid Workers |
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Eight foreign aid workers held by the Taliban militia since August for preaching Christianity were freed Wednesday and were headed to Pakistan, a U.S. official said. Two of the eight are Americans.
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Eight foreign aid workers held by the Taliban militia since August for preaching Christianity were freed Wednesday and were headed to Pakistan, a U.S. official said.Two of the eight are Americans.
A second U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were freed as a result of military action, but would give no details. The disclosure came after the son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi said he was confident the eight would be released soon.
Seif el-Islam Gadhafi, chairman of the Gadhafi Foundation for Charitable Organizations, told the press that his non-governmental organization has been in touch with the Taliban for about two months in efforts to win their freedom.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said he hopes the reports are true but could not confirm them. He said U.S. officials had received no word from the Taliban as to the whereabouts of the Americans or on whether they will be released.
The eight workers �� four Germans, two Americans and two Australians �� are employees of the Germany-based Christian organization Shelter Now International. They have been held since Aug. 3 on charges of trying to convert Muslims, a serious offense in Islamic Afghanistan.
Taliban Supreme Court judges had indefinitely postponed their trial, saying they feared anger at the United States over the airstrikes could hamper their ability to make a fair ruling in the case.
On Tuesday, the eight were moved from their cells in a detention center in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and were taken to the south by retreating Taliban forces.
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