The US has rejected out of hand the surprise resolution from senior Afghanistan clerics that Osama bin Laden leave the country of his own free will.
The edicts from the Taliban religious elders recommended that Mr bin Laden go voluntarily, at his own timing and to a place of his own choosing.
However, the White House last night said the statement did not go far enough and that it was time for action and not words. Bin Laden must be handed over to responsible authorities immediately, the US Secretary of State, Mr Colin Powell said. It was not good enough to allow the terrorists to go from one safe haven to another, he said.
After two days of deliberation, the ruling came as a surprise and was seen as a major shift in position compared to the hardline maintained by the Taliban in recent days.
The statement from the religious elders again repeated the threat to declare a jihad or holy war if the US attacked Afghanistan. The statement was initially described as "a ray of hope" by Mr Qazi Hussain, the leader of Pakistan's largest Islamic party, the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami.
The elders said: "To avoid the current tumult and also future similar suspicion, the High Council of the honourable Ulema (Clerics) recommends to the Islamic Emirate (of Afghanistan) to persuade Osama bin Laden to leave Afghanistan whenever possible".
The ruling is binding on the Taliban and was almost certainly taken only after receiving the blessing of the movement's leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar.
The clerics said bin Laden should find another place to live and called for separate investigations into the attacks. They demanded that the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Conference "investigate independently and accurately the recent events to clarify the reality and prevent the harrassment of innocent people".
"The Ulema voice their sadness over American deaths and hope America does not attack Afghanistan," they added.
The Taliban's deputy ambassador to Pakistan, Mr Suhail Shaheen, said bin Laden was ready to be tried if Washington could produce evidence linking him to the attacks. He said bin Laden could be tried in Kabul or in another Muslim country "if there's evidence he is ready for a trial".
The religious elders also issued a very blunt threat to neighbouring Pakistan, which is co-operating with the US: "If in the time of an American attack any Muslims, be they Afghans or non-Afghans, co-operate with the infidels, accomplices or spies, that person also is punishable to death like the foreign invaders." Afghanistan's opposition, the Northern Alliance, said yesterday the time was right for it to launch an attack on the Taliban, but it wanted to co-ordinate its action with the US.
Meanwhile, thousands of Afghans continue to flee cities fearing a US attack. Relief agencies, including the Irish aid organisationn Concern, have warned of a devastating human disaster with a bitter winter on the way. Thousands of refugees are still waiting at the two main border crossing points between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Yesterday, the North Western Frontier province in Pakistan announced it was opening 25 temporary refugee camps to cope with the expected influx of refugees into the country.
Pakistan is expected to come to a standstill today due to a national strike called by Jamaat-e-Islami to protest against the US threat and against the Pakistan government's co-operation.