Afghanistan: Taliban Deny Reports Of Leader's Death, Citing Hacking.

Taliban spokesmen denied reports sent through their e-mail and in text messages early Wednesday that their movement's leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, was dead, saying that their Web sites and telephones had been hacked. Zabiullah Mujahid, one of the spokesmen, reached by telephone, said: ''The enemy hijacked our telephone numbers and e-mails. They have sent out false texts and statements about death of Mullah Omar. In reality he is alive and in good condition.'' The e-mail message said he had died of a heart attack and named his successor. Mr. Mujahid added that Mullah Omar was in Afghanistan, but military and intelligence sources have said they believe that he is in Pakistan, most likely in Karachi. A second Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, also denied the reports. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]