Afghan militant says he wants to join battle led by bin Laden

An Afghan warlord wanted by the United States declared support for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in a videotape broadcast today by Al-Jazeera television.

The move by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Afghanistan’s prime minister in 1993-94, indicates his Hezb-e-Islami militant faction would be willing to shelter bin Laden and other al Qaida leaders from the US-led coalition and Afghan government forces.