KABUL, 13 November 2004 — Taleban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar has accused the United States of trying to impose a puppet administration in Afghanistan and vowed to regain control of the country, a Pakistan-based Afghan news agency reported yesterday.

A message from the leader of the Taleban movement overthrown by US-led forces in late 2001 was sent to newspaper offices in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, the Afghan Islamic Press said.

The message, to mark the Eid Al-Fitr, came the day before the third anniversary of the day when US-backed Afghan forces captured Kabul from the Taleban on Nov. 13, 2001.

Omar said the Taleban remained committed to their Islamic ideals.

“There is much more brotherhood, obedience and steadfastness in the Taleban’s Islamic movement than before,” he said.

“America and its puppets should know that we are determined to free and regain the sovereignty of our country.”

Omar said Eid was coming at a time when Afghanistan and Islamic values “remain plunged into horror and Crusader vengeance” and Taleban and mujahideen (holy warriors) continued to be imprisoned by the United States in Cuba and Afghanistan.

“America ... is trying to impose its puppet administration,” the message said. “Moral decadence, desecration of Islamic values and crime are increasing in Afghanistan. Every ploy is being used to mislead women.”

US-led forces overthrew the Taleban after they refused to give up Osama Bin Laden and other Al-Qaeda leaders responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

Like Bin Laden, Mullar Omar has remained at large despite a three-year hunt by thousands of US and allied troops. US officials say they believe the men are hiding somewhere along the rugged border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Bin Laden issued a videotape last month ahead of the US presidential election in which he taunted President George W. Bush and warned the United States to expect more attacks.

Omar said the Taleban “could have connived with America to retain power and this worldly rule by giving up Afghan honor.

“But they didn’t do it,” he said. “You should rest assured that I and my Mujahid colleagues will never accept anything except Islamic injunctions.” The past year has seen increased violence by the Taleban and their militant allies, but they failed in their vow to disrupt presidential elections last month won by US-backed incumbent Hamid Karzai.