March 1996:ÊThe US pressures Sudan to do something about bin Laden, who is based in that country.ÊSudan readily agrees, not wanting to be labeled a terrorist nation.ÊSudan's Minister of Defense engages in secret negotiations with the CIA in Washington. Sudan offers to extradite bin Laden to anywhere he might stand trial.ÊThe US decides not to take him because they apparently don't have enough evidence at the time to charge him with a crime.ÊSaudi Arabia is discussed as a possibility, but the Saudi Arabian government doesn't want him, even though bin Laden has pledged to bring down the Saudi Arabian government.ÊUS officials turn down the offer, but insist that bin Laden leave the country for anywhere but Somalia.ÊOne US intelligence source in the region later states: "We kidnap minor drug czars and bring them back in burlap bags. Somebody didn't want this to happen." [Village Voice, 10/31/01, Washington Post, 10/3/01] Bin Laden leaves under pressure two months later (see May 18, 1996). CIA Director Tenet later denies Sudan made any offers to hand over bin Laden. [Senate Intelligence Committee, 10/17/02]

May 18, 1996:ÊSudan expels bin Laden at the request of the US and Saudi Arabia.ÊBin Laden and al-Qaeda then move to Afghanistan, taking all of their money, resources and personnel. Bin Laden flies there in a C-130 transport plane with an entourage of about 150 men, women and children. [Los Angeles Times, 9/1/02] The US knows in advance that bin Laden is going to Afghanistan, but does nothing to stop him. Elfatih Erwa, who, Sudan's minister of state for defense at the time, later says in an interview: "We warned [the US].ÊIn Sudan, bin Laden and his money were under our control. But we knew that if he went to Afghanistan no one could control him.ÊThe US didn't care; they just didn't want him in Somalia. It's crazy."Ê[Village Voice, 10/31/01, Washington Post, 10/3/01]