The alleged plot was blamed on the Hezb Eslami, which is led by Mr. Golboddin Hekmatyar, who, in the nineties, backed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the CIA, became prime minister for a short period, during which he almost destroyed Kabol, trying to expel the popular commander Ahmad Shah Mas’ood from the Capital.

But Foreign Minister Dr. Abdollah Abdollah said that Hezb Eslami, and not Mr. Hekmatyar, was behind the assassination attempt and Mr. Sabavon was not arrested.

Hezb Islami also denied any involvement.

EurasiaNet correspondent Camelia Entekhabi-Fard spoke with General Sabavon about the latest developments in Afghanistan.

EurasiaNet: Can you tell us the story behind the arrests?
Sabauon: We don't know either. The Interior Ministry says they have evidence. But before people were arrested, we had never heard about these strange allegations. We had many friends at the guesthouse at the time, students and Pashtoons. Many just had a long beard and police maintained they were Taleban. But they are from Hezb Islami, not Talebs or criminals. I don't understand where the treason charge comes from. But they have all been arrested and some are still being questioned. I heard on the radio that they were arrested on charges of being in contact with Hekmatyar. Some of those who were arrested were freed quickly but we have up to 200 still under arrest.

Maybe some other people have been mistaken with those charged in the case. It is possible the police have made a mistake. It is also possible someone is trying to create distrust between Qanooni and us; the Taleban or Al-Qa’eda driving a wedge between the government and us. Or maybe the whole case has to do with [efforts to control] the Loya Jirga, because it is so important.

EurasiaNet: Do you feel your political future is seriously affected by this incident?
Sabavon: I don't think so. We are steadfast against any form of violence and enmity; we only think about unity. We stand for talking and peacefully resolving all problems. And now after this problem, we feel, we are even a more humane party than before. If the people want to support us, nobody can stop them. It doesn't mean we are thinking about chaos. We don't want anyone hurt or killed. We are surrendering to law and if the constitution says we are criminals, so be it. The courts and the constitution could say if a party is banned or not. If our friends are traitors to the country, they have to be punished.

EurasiaNet: Can you tell me about your relationship with Hekmatyar?
Sabavon: In the early days we had a close relationship with him. That was when he fought against the Russians [after the Soviet invasion of 1980]. Later, I worked with him during the time Borhaneddin Rabbani was president, Hekmatyar was Prime Minister and I was the Defence Minister. After the Taleban took over, we moved to the north, and a year and a half later Hekmatyar moved to Iran. I spent five years with the mujaheddin in [the] north. I was a member of the Council of Resistance and its Finance Minister. I have to say that for the last five years, I haven't heard his voice and we haven't talked to each other. I respect him, but his problem with the mujaheddin and the US has nothing to do with me. He distorted the party. I think if the government now wants to isolate him, it has to make more friends. That is the only way.

EurasiaNet: You mentioned that the arrests might be related to the Loya Jirga. Can you explain?
Sabavon: I am just speculating about this. All we know is that, right after the Taleban, when the time came to share power, people received one or two ministries in the new government, all except us. [Uzbek warlord] Abdul Rashid Dostum, [Herat governor] Isma’il Khan, [Hazara leader Karim] Khalili, Rabbani, [and his

ally Abdol] Sayaf. Just us were kept from power at this stage! I don't know why. We don't have any chance in the new government. We are waiting for the Loya Jirga. If we are not counted in for the Loya Jirga, we could wait for the national elections. We just want to work for the people and for the central government.

We are Afghans. In this country, people welcome their guests. I hoped I had more respect from the government because I had around 300 guests in the guesthouse. Article 43 of the constitution says who is a criminal and why, and it discusses when a party can be banned. Everything is spelled out clearly. So for now, we are just going to wait. ENDS SABAVON INTERVIEW 9402

* Ms Entekhabi-Fard is an independent Iranian journalist based in the US. She worked with Iranian newspapers, including the banned "Zan" (Woman) daily that was edited by Mrs. Fa’ezeh Hashemi, the younger daughter of Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, a former president and the Islamic Republic’s number two leader.