Afghanistan's Taliban leader says the US will learn a "tougher lesson" in Afghanistan than the Soviet Union.
Mullah Mohammed Omar made the comments in an interview with an Algerian newspaper.
He also that his forces had not yet begun the "real war" against the US - an apparent reference to a ground conflict.
He told the El Youm newspaper: "But if God wills it, we will never welcome them with flowers.
"We will lead all forms of jihad (holy war) so that the Afghan people will remain master of itself."
Omar was also quoted as saying that Afghanistan was prepared to try Osama bin Laden or hand him over to Arab countries for judgment by Islamic clerics, if America could provide proof of his role in the US terrorist attacks.
The paper did not give details about how it conducted the interview.
It said only that it was done in writing about two weeks after the bombing campaign began.
As to bin Laden's role, the Taliban leader was quoted as saying: "We have said that if Washington has proof concerning the implication of bin Laden in the attacks, why haven't they shown it to us?
He added: "In that case, we are ready to judge him in Afghanistan or by a commission of Muslim ulemas (clerics) in three Arab countries."
PA