Afghanistan to set up own Internet filter, says minister

The Afghan government said this week it would clarify new restrictions on news coverage of Taliban strikes after widespread criticism of the plan by media rights groups and some of its most important allies, including the United States.

Information and Culture Minister Sayed Makhdoom Raheen said the new Internet bans were not linked to media freedom issues.

"We have specified that four sites which announce sexual issues, drug trafficking and cultivation, violence issues -- like making bombs and gambling -- must be banned," he said.

"There were complaints from the families and the intention is to stop the seduction of the youth generation," Raheen said.

Regarding filtering terrorist-linked sites like the Taliban's, Raheen said he had not ordered a ban on the site which normally shows footage of Taliban attacks, including suicide raids, as well as military and political statements.

However, it has not been possible to access the site for several days. The Taliban, who also criticized the government's plan to restrict television coverage of attacks, say the site has been blocked.

The Islamists, ousted by U.S.-backed Afghan forces in 2001, banned television, the Internet, music and even kite-flying while they were in power from 1996.