http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/09/16/inv.binladen.denial/index.html

Bin Laden says he wasn't behind attacks

EXCERTS:

                            DOHA, Qatar (CNN) --
Islamic militant leader Osama bin Laden, the man the United
States considers the prime suspect in last week's terrorist
attacks on New York and Washington, denied any role Sunday
in the actions believed to have killed thousands.

In a statement issued to the Arabic satellite channel Al Jazeera, based
in Qatar, bin Laden said, "The U.S. government has consistently
blamed me for being behind every occasion its enemies attack it.

"I would like to assure the world that I did not plan the recent
attacks, which seems to have been planned by people for personal
reasons," bin Laden's statement said.

"I have been living in the Islamic emirate of Afghanistan and
following its leaders' rules. The current leader does not allow me to
exercise such operations," bin Laden said.

Since Tuesday's terrorist attacks against the United States, Bush has
repeatedly threatened to strike out against terrorism and any nation
that supports or harbors its disciples.

Immediately after the attacks that demolished the World Trade
Center's landmark twin towers and seriously damaged the Pentagon,
officials of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban said they doubted bin Laden
could have been involved in carrying out the actions.

The Taliban -- the fundamentalist Islamic militia that seized power in
Afghanistan in 1996 -- denied his ties to terrorism and said they have
taken away all his means of communication with the outside world.