HEROIN BOOM FUNDS TALIBAN REVIVAL

AFGHAN authorities fear this year's vast opium harvest will provide a huge
narcotics war chest for Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists who have been
squeezed by new financial tracking operations.

The drug money is used to buy everything from satellite phones to
ammunition, say officials who predict this year's opium crop will at least
match last year's 3600-tonne harvest.

Afghanistan's Counter Narcotics Directorate chief, Mirwais Yasini, says he
knows of at least two millionaire drug smugglers in league with Taliban
rebels trying to destabilise the country's south. "We know ... the money
they make is millions of dollars."

The claims are supported by the Kandahar Governor's spokesman, Khalid Pashtoon.

Pashtoon suspects one of the smugglers is supplying Taliban fighters with
ammunition and satellite phones.

The terrorists are also suspected of taking a cut at other levels of opium
production.

The head of the United Nations Office of Drug Control, Antonio Maria Costa,
believes the smugglers are taxed by the terrorists at a rate of between 13
and 15 per cent of their load.

"Cultivation takes place in the centre of the country and then the opium is
moved by convoys slowly towards the border of Iran or Pakistan," says
Costa, who was to travel to Afghanistan this week to check on the drug trade.

"Periodically these convoys run into insurgents or paramilitary checkpoints
and they are asked for a share."

Afghan authorities last month arrested a graduate of a feared
al-Qaeda-linked Pakistani terror group who was farming opium poppies by day
and launching pro-Taliban attacks by night.

Mohammed Suhil, 17, was arrested at a checkpoint in the country's dangerous
Panjwayi region, which has been the scene of numerous fatal attacks on
foreigners, government officials and NGOs.

Australian pilot Mark Burdorf died when his helicopter was sprayed with
bullets as it took off from a village in the district in February.

Under the Taliban's ban in 2000, farmers planted only about 8000 hectares
of poppies in Afghanistan, producing about 185 tonnes of opium, according
to UN figures.

The following year, without Taliban control, 74,000 hectares were planted,
producing a massive 3400 tonnes of opium. In 2003, production soared again
to 3600 tonnes, with 80,000 hectares planted with poppies.

About 1.7 million Afghanis are involved in farming opium - or 7 per cent of
the country's population, the UN says.