Sierra Leone rebel group, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), have issued a press statement denying reports in the United States media that it had links with Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda terrorist network.
"Any attempt to link the RUF with the al-Qaeda organisation in not only deliberately malicious, diabolical and sinister but devilishly dangerous in the extreme and goes far beyond mere politicking," the statement, which was signed by RUF official Eldred Collins, said.
The statement, received by AFP in Freetown, said: "the RUF therefore wishes to state quite categorically that at no time has it operated as a terrorist organisation nor consciously sought in any way to be linked with any terrorist organisation".
"The RUF wasted no time in condemning the dastardly attacks in New York and Washington DC on September 11th and has expressed its condoleances via the appropriate channels when the opportunity was offered".
"The RUF takes its obligation, both national and international, seriously and at this present time it is busy taking all the necessary steps to transform itself into a political party," the statement said.
The Washington Post reported Friday that al-Qaeda had been buying so-called "blood diamonds" mined by the RUF since 1998. Bin Laden is suspected by Washington of having masterminded the September 11th attacks on the US.
AFP