Taliban warns of wave of attacks

In an interview in the southeastern city of Khost, the man, who has previously proved himself a credible source of information on the intentions of the militant group, also claimed that al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and the Taliban leader, Mullah Omar, were both alive and in Afghanistan.

Bin Laden and his deputy, the Egyptian Ayman Al-Zawahiri "are alive and both are in Afghanistan, in different places", Mohammed Saiful Adel told an AFP journalist in an interview in the city of Khost, close to the border with Pakistan.

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A former leader of the anti-Soviet Mujahaddin fighters, Jalaluddin Haqqani, "has taken on the role of deputy leader of the Taliban," the Taliban spokesman said. "He is playing a key role in our movement and is responsibile for all the military operations," he added.

"Haqqani is personally leading the operations in Paktia, Paktika and Khost," said the spokesman, referring to three southeastern provinces.

Since it was ousted from power in Afghanistan by US-backed forces in December 2001, the fundamentalist militia has been unable to do more than stage isolated attacks on the US-led coalition which supports the government of President Hamid Karzai.

Some western analysts warn that the Taliban is now attempting to exaggerate its real power in an attempt to destabilise Afghanistan in the run up to elections intended to take place some time this year.

The Taliban will launch hit and run attacks but cannot pose a serious threat in a country where its popular support remains low, they say.

Adel insisted the movement was capable of mounting serious attacks and boasted, but without providing any proof, that: "We will stage attacks on an unprecedented scale in the Spring."

Taliban members would "for example, attack a big town, seize it, occupy it for several hours and then leave ... We will lead attacks against American bases here. We will have a lot of martyrs but we will do it," said the spokesman.

The interview with Adel took place over two hours in a room in a hotel in the centre of the town.