Tories brand BBC's Taliban interview 'obscene propaganda'

The BBC has come under fire from the Conservative Party after broadcasting an interview with a spokesman for the Taliban.

His face hidden by a veil, Dr Mahammed Anif told BBC2's Newsnight that the Taliban would throw foreign armies out of Afghanistan. He also dismissed British and American claims to be rebuilding the country as an "excuse" to invade.

Other members of a Taliban group in Helmand province were also filmed, vowing to fight to the death against British troops who are seeking to bring security to the area.

Shadow defence secretary Liam Fox denounced the interviews as "obscene" and accused the BBC of broadcasting propaganda on behalf of Britain's enemies.

In the film, broadcast last night, a Taliban fighter who gave his name as Mullah Assad Akhond said: "We see the English as our enemy since the time of the Prophet Mohammed. They are our enemies now and they were then."

Another, Hajimullah Wahidullah, warned that the group planned to step up suicide bombings, which until recently were unheard of in Afghanistan.

"So far you see just individual suicide bombs," he said. "But in the future you might see as many as six people committing the attacks simultaneously. Countless people have enlisted to become suicide bombers."

Dr Anif, who the BBC said was giving his first broadcast interview as an official spokesman for the Taliban, said: "Americans used force and attacked us. They invaded our country and occupied it.

"Democracy set up under the shadow of B52 bombers and elections held under the shadow of F-16s is not acceptable for the Afghan nation."

Dr Fox said: "We have become used to a non-stop anti-war agenda from the BBC but broadcasting propaganda on behalf of this country's enemies - at a time when our armed forces are being killed and maimed - marks a new low. The whole thing is obscene."

Defence minister Adam Ingram was challenged on Newsnight over whether the Government believed the war in Afghanistan could be won. He said: "Of course we do."

He said conditions in the North, West and in Kabul have improved immeasurably, adding: "Helmand is difficult. Kandahar is very difficult."

The BBC responded in a statement: "It was entirely legitimate for BBC News to broadcast the Taliban's views. Reporter David Loyn made the Taliban's intention to increase suicide attacks patently clear.

"BBC News also regularly reports on the British troops and have interviewed their officers and soldiers on many occasions."