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Ex-Taliban official: Anti-U.S. movement will grow

Abdul Salam Zaeef
Abdul Salam Zaeef, Afghan Ambassador in Pakistan, speaks with reporters during a news conference in this Oct. 19, 2001 file photo from Islamabad, Pakistan. Getty

A former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, who held the post on Sept. 11, 2001, tells CBS News the U.S. military's killing of Osama bin Laden will only stoke anti-American sentiment in the Muslim world, and the al Qaeda leader's death will "not be acceptable to any Muslim."

"I think this will increase the problem" for Americans, Abdul Salam Zaeef told CBS News in an interview from the Afghan capital.

Zaeef was arrested when the U.S. invaded Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 attacks. He was jailed for about two years at Guantanamo Bay, then released and currently lives in Kabul.

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"The enemies of American (sic), they are trying to attack Americans anywhere, in any town, it is not related with Osama bin Laden," said Zaeef, predicting a minimal impact on al Qaeda's operations.

"This was not only Osama bin Laden... To kill Osama bin Laden, it is creating more emotions for the people. It is not ending the problem."

"Searching (for) one Osama bin Laden, Americans they killed millions of people and destabilized the whole world," said Zaeef of the nearly decade-long U.S. led war against Islamic militants in the region.

He said video of Americans dancing in the streets and waving U.S. flags to celebrate the news of bin Laden's death would only serve to further enrage the Muslim world.

Zaeef also questioned the very news that the U.S. military had killed bin Laden, insisting that without photographic evidence of the extremist movement's slain figurehead, speculation would persist.

"Really I'm not convinced that he was killed," said Zaeef. "He was not showed to the media. We have to see him."

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