Regime claims 300,000-strong defence force to repel invaders

With many voices, not all of them coherent, Afghanistan's Taliban regime stepped up its defiance of America yesterday.

Mullah Mohammed Omar, the movement's shadowy leader, demanded that the US withdraw its forces from the Gulf and end its "bias" against Palestinians. One of his ministers claimed to be mobilising 300,000 men to fight off any attack.

And while Afghanistan's ambassador in Pakistan was repeating that the Taliban could not track down their "guest", Osama bin Laden, the arch-terrorist suspect was issuing a statement calling on Muslims in Pakistan to rise up in defence of Islam. In a statement from his headquarters in Kandahar, Mullah Omar said the death of Mr bin Laden, America's number one suspect for the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, would do little to remove the threat against the US. "If Americans want to eliminate terrorism, they should withdraw their forces from the Gulf and put an end to the biased attitude on the issue of Palestine," he said.

The US continued its preparations for action to root out Mr bin Laden and his al-Qa'ida network from Afghanistan, with an American military delegation holding talks in Islamabad on Pakistan's promise to co-operate. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced yesterday it had "temporarily" withdrawn its diplomatic staff from Afghanistan because of fears for their security, even though it is one of only two countries to recognise the Taliban regime after the United Arab Emirates withdrew recognition.

The Afghan embassy in Islamabad remains open, however, and at a chaotic press conference on the front lawn yesterday the ambassador, Abdul Salam Zaeef, maintained the Taliban's claim that they did not know Mr bin Laden's whereabouts. Pressed to clarify whether he was still in Afghanistan, the ambassador's reply was translated by his deputy, Suhail Shaheen, as: "He is not lost, but he is missing. Maybe he is some place headed." Mullah Omar, who was said by Mr Zaeef to have accepted the recommendation of a religious council that the Saudi-born fugitive should voluntarily leave Afghanistan, denounced the US for having "made Islam their hostage" and said it should avoid interfering in Muslim affairs. "America wants to eliminate Islam and they are spreading lawlessness to install a pro-American government in Afghanistan," he said. "This effort will not solve the problem and the Americans will burn themselves if they indulge in this kind of activity."

Although this could be taken as confirmation of reports that law and order has broken down as Afghans flee Kabul, Kandahar and other cities to escape what they fear are imminent American attacks, in Islamabad Mr Zaeef claimed the security situation was "normal".

Mullah Obaidullah, the Afghan Defence Minister, said an additional 300,000 "well-experienced and equipped men" had been called up, while Mohammad Qasim Halimi, a Foreign Ministry official, told a television station in the Gulf that men were besieging the defence and interior ministries in Kabul, begging for arms to help to defend the country. "Our weapons are not obsolete and even if they were obsolete, our fighters are active ... and their faith is strong," Mr Halimi said. Analysts believe the Afghan armed forces number some 45,000, and that no more than another 15,000 could be conscripted, but Mullah Obaidullah said many former soldiers were volunteering to return. According to Mr Halimi, some Muslims from outside Afghanistan also wanted to join the fight. "We have not allowed them to enter so far," he said, "but if we find that we need them then we will give orders to allow them to."

The impression of somewhat confused Taliban bellicosity was heightened by their press conference in Islamabad, which was plagued by loudspeaker breakdowns, poor translation and squabbles among television crews.

Mullah Omar's statement appeared to be intended to encourage other Muslim nations to distance themselves from Washington's alliance against terrorism. Mr Zaeef called on them to "come forward and themselves solve the issue ... it is their obligation". He read out a Foreign Ministry statement asking the American people to draw the attention of their authorities to the "grave consequences" of a war.

The ambassador said it was "good news" that the US intended to produce its evidence against Mr bin Laden. This could help to solve the issue "otherwise than fighting".