US has not given proof of Laden's guilt: Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: The United States has shared no evidence with Pakistan proving that Islamic militant Osama bin Laden was responsible for terrorist attacks in the United States this month, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Sunday.

"There is no evidence that has been shared with us as yet," Musharraf said in an interview with CNN.

"So therefore all I know is from the television," General Musharraf said.

The Pakistani leader added that he expected Washington to share unclassified evidence supporting its assertion that bin Laden was behind the deadly September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

"We have indications that parts of the evidence that would not have any confidentiality could be shared with us," Musharraf said.

"I would not like Pakistani troops to be crossing the borders into Afghanistan because I don't think that is a requirement from our troops," he said.

Afghanistan's ruling Taliban regime faces danger from the growing international anti-terror coalition that is pressuring Kabul to hand over Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden, Musharraf added.

He said he remained committed to bringing democratic government back to Pakistan despite the crisis provoked by terrorist attacks in the United States this month.

He added that Pakistan's nuclear weapons are extremely secure and there are no extremists within the armed forces who could try to seize control of them in the current crisis. "I am very, very sure that the command and control setup that we have evolved for ourselves is very, very secure."

The Pakistani leader dismissed concerns that elements within the country's armed forces were sympathetic to the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime of neighbouring Afghanistan and might try to make a grab for control of nuclear weapons.

"There is no chance of these assets falling into the hands of extremists," Musharraf said.

"The army is the most disciplined army in the world and there is no chance of any extremism coming into the army.

"We have an excellent command system. We have excellent traditions, and I don't see this doomsday scenario ever appearing," General Musharraf added.

( AFP )

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