Taliban member Anas Haqqani, head of the terrorist Haqqani network, was reported to Norwegian police for war crimes during a Taliban delegation visit to the country.
The police report was filed by Norwegian-Afghan media scientist Zahir Athari, who called for the arrest of Anas Haqqani — whose brother is Afghan interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani — who landed in Europe on Satuirday as part of a Taliban delegation visiting Norway for talks with the U.S., UK, EU, and others. Athari said of his reporting one of the members of the delegation: “The Norwegian authorities must stand next to the victims – the Afghan people.”
“He and his network have been behind the most deadly attacks against the civilian population in Afghanistan since 2001. It hurts that he comes as a respected guest here in Norway, instead of being handcuffed to the bench in the Human Rights Court in The Hague,” Athari told broadcaster NRK.
“Inviting them on a private plane to Norway is nothing more than just a dialogue. The dialogue could have been just as good if it were taking place in Afghanistan or Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries, without giving the Taliban the honour of getting on a private plane to Norway,” he added.
The Taliban delegation is in Norway as part of a three-day series of meetings with officials and diplomats from Norway, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, which is facing serious humanitarian challenges such as food shortages.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre commented on the Taliban visit, saying he knew of the visit ahead of time but did not know who the Taliban would be sending as part of their delegation.
“I understand that there will be reactions. It is a movement that is far away from us and our values. But we must start from the world as it is,” Prime Minister Støre, who was in New York over the weekend for a United Nations security meeting, said.
Støre also noted that he was in the Serena Hotel in Kabul in 2008 when it was attacked, allegedly by the Haqqani network, saying, “I was at the Serena hotel, and it’s always a great cost to hear that name mentioned, but they’re the ones in charge in Afghanistan now.”
Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com
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