Osama bin Laden

In this story: Status could change Pressure 'unjust' RELATED STORIES, SITES

ISLAMABAD, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A day after it said it would not expel Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden from Afghanistan, the ruling Islamic Taliban militia said Wednesday it had tightened restrictions on the alleged terrorist, depriving him of facilities to communicate with the outside world.

A Taliban statement, quoted by a Pakistan-based Afghan news service, said all communications means previously available to bin Laden, including telephone service, had been withdrawn. There also were restrictions on his meetings.

The Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) quoted the Taliban as saying an "observation group" had been attached to bin Laden to watch his activities.

Status could change

The AIP also quoted a Taliban spokesman as saying the militia would review bin Laden's status as a guest if he violated the Taliban restrictions.

On Tuesday, the Taliban ruled out bin Laden's extradition as demanded by the United States.

The United States launched missiles last August against suspected bin Laden camps in Afghanistan, and has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction for allegedly masterminding last year's U.S. Embassy bombings in the African cities of Kenya and Tanzania that killed 263 people.

A Taliban spokesman, quoted Tuesday by a Pakistan-based news service, said the militia would have no objection if bin Laden left for another country of his own accord but, "We cannot expel him from Afghanistan by force."

Pressure 'unjust'

The AIP said spokesman Mullah Abdul Haye Mutmaen made the statement by telephone from the southern Afghan town of Kandahar, in response to pressure by the United States and Britain to hand bin Laden over to the United States or Saudi Arabia, or to expel him from Afghanistan.

"If somebody has evidence and proof against Osama bin Laden that he is a terrorist, it should be brought forward so that our court should take a decision in the light of such evidence," AIP quoted Mutmaen as saying.

"But it is utterly unjust to put pressure on the Afghan government without proof," he said.

The Taliban, which controls more than 90 percent of Afghanistan, cleared bin Laden of all charges in November, saying no evidence against him was brought to its Supreme Court.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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