The United States today rejected an offer by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban to try Muslim militant Osama bin Laden under Islamic law, saying he must be handed over to the United States.
"The first step is that they hand over bin Laden and his lieutenants," a US official said. "It is time for action, not words."
The official said US President Mr George W. Bush's original four demands - that the Taliban surrender bin Laden and lieutenants in his al Qaeda network, close bin Laden's training camps, allow international inspections, and release detained aid workers - had not changed and were not subject to negotiation.
The Taliban ambassador to Pakistan said earlier today Afghanistan saw sufficient cause to put bin Laden on trial and was ready to do so, but wanted the United States to provide more evidence.
Afghanistan is ready to put Osama bin Laden on trial but want the United States to provide more evidence, the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan has said.
"If allegations are made against another person... he will be put on trial and then it will be established," Ambassador Mr Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef told reporters. He said Islamic law provided for trying bin Laden and there were grounds for establishing a trial.
However, he stressed Afghanistan had yet to see any evidence from the United States as to bin Laden's involvement.
"We have studied this point and our position is that if there is not sufficient evidence, still we are ready for his trial in Afghanistan", he said.