In a March 29, 1993, New York Times article, a retired CIA official stated: “bin Laden ‘housed newly arrived recruits near Peshawar [Pakistan] and funded the Ma’sadar Al-Ansar military training camp,’ on the other side of the legendary Khyber Pass in Afghanistan. ‘He built landing strips to allow rebel leaders to meet each other and the representatives of Muslim nations and businessmen supporting the struggle. With the help of Iraqi engineer Mohamed Sa’ad he blasted massive tunnels into the Zazi mountains of the Bakhtiar province and built command centres, while his technicians built a telecommunications network for the mujaheddin.’ Bin Laden even funded hospitals to patch up wounded fighters.”
– Simon Reeve, The New Jackals, Page 164