Vice President Dick Cheney appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with a stern warning for Afghanistan and the Taliban, which has harbored bin Laden since 1996. Bin Laden has already been indicted in the U.S. on charges of masterminding the bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa in 1998.

“They have to understand, and others like them have to understand,” Cheney said. “If you provided sanctuary to terrorists, you face the full wrath of the United States of America.”

Pakistan’s decision to give “full support” to the United States drew widespread protest yesterday from hard-line Islamists. Demonstrators burned U.S. flags, shouted their support of bin Laden, and warned the government they would take up arms for Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban militia.

Most of Pakistan’s 140 million people are devout but relatively moderate Muslims, but there are several strong militant Islamic groups operating in the country and tens of thousands of religious schools that turn out young boys dedicated to jihad—holy war. Most of these militant groups are well armed and could pose a threat to the rule of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

The Taliban have steadfastly refused to hand over bin Laden, despite two rounds of U.N. sanctions that have cut off funds to its national airline and isolated its leaders. They call bin Laden a guest. The Taliban’s reclusive leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, has said in the past that delivering bin Laden to non-Muslims would be like betraying a tenet of Islam.

Yesterday, the Taliban called an “urgent” meeting where clerics from throughout Afghanistan voiced support of the leadership, condemned the U.S. and demanded proof of bin Laden’s involvement in the airborne attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Bin Laden himself issued a statement broadcast by Qatar’s Al-Jazeera satellite channel. “I stress that I have not carried out this act, which appears to have been carried out by individuals with their own motivation,” said the statement.