Andre Engels wrote:
The Afghanistan government (unrecognized by the U.S. but effectively in charge anyway) did not choose to recognize it as a criminal act and hand over the leaders of Al Quada.
The reason was not that they did not see it as a criminal act, but that they were not convinced that Al-Qaida was responsible for it - the US basically told when asked for proof: "We have proof, and that should be enough for you." This asking for proof might well have been a tactic to give some formal international political reason for a decision that was taken on fully other grounds, but the Taliban have never said (publically) that they did not regard the attacks a crime. In fact, like Khadafi, but unlike Saddam Hussein, they reacted to the attacks with a message of sympathy for the victims.
Excellent clarification! Thank you!
Regards, Mike Irwin