Taliban official claims system has collapsed

A former Taliban official has apparently admitted that Afghanistan's orthodox Islamic militia no longer exists.

"We want to tell the people that the Taliban system is now no more," the Afghan Islamic Press quoted Mullah Agha Jan Mutasim, the group's former finance minister, as saying.

"They should not give donations in the name of the Taliban."

Several Islamic groups are collecting donations in Karachi, Quetta and other Pakistani cities - particularly in mosques - to help the Taliban.

In most cases, it is believed the money never reaches the Taliban and is spent by the collectors.

Mutasim said the Taliban won't oppose Afghanistan's new UN-sponsored government if it has a strong Islamic flavour.

AIP reports that Mutasim spoke from an undisclosed location in Afghanistan.

He said the whereabouts of Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar are a secret and that he doesn't know where Osama bin Laden is.

"I can't tell you whether Mullah Omar is inside Afghanistan or has gone abroad," he said.