Following the September 11 attacks orchestrated by al-Qaeda , the United States under the Bush administration issued an ultimatum to Afghanistan to hand over Osama bin Laden and other high ranking al-Qaeda officials and shut down all al-Qaeda training camps within the country . In an interview with Voice of America , Omar was asked if he would give up Osama bin Laden . Omar replied , " No . We can not do that . If we did , it means we are not Muslims , that Islam is finished . If we were afraid of attack , we could have surrendered him the last time we were threatened . " Omar explained his position to high-ranking Taliban officials : Omar was adamant that bin Laden was innocent of planning the 9/11 attacks despite the accusations directed against him . Despite this , high ranking Taliban officials attempted to persuade Omar and made offers to the United States through its contacts with Pakistan . The Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Salam Zaeef said at a news conference in Islamabad that " our position in this regard is that if the Americans have evidence , they should produce it . " If they could prove their allegations , he said , " we are ready for a trial of Osama bin Laden . " The Taliban foreign minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil also attempted to negotiate , offering the Americans the proposal of setting up a three-nation court under the supervision of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference as it was a " neutral organization " or having bin Laden tried by an Islamic council in Afghanistan . Muttawakil said " the US showed no interest in it . " The Taliban Prime Minister Abdul Kabir stated that if evidence was provided , " we would be ready to hand him over to a third country "
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Mohammed Omar