After September 11th, however, many experts quickly recognized that the attack on Masood bore the hallmark of the terrorist network harboured by the Taliban, for whom Masood was the most hated and feared opponent.

Masood was the face of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance. The charismatic leader united the feuding groups in the north of the war-torn nation. They called him "the lion of Panjshir". He was the central opposition figure to the ruling Taliban in the south.

Masood and his troops had already fought against the Soviet occupation of their country. He became a favourite for western jouirnalists. They say he spoke with an extraordinary aura of confidence.

Then, two days before suicide highjackers descended on the United States, Massood was assasinated in his mountain headquarters. His death was huge blow to the unstable alliance of groups united only in their battle against the Taliban in Kabul.

The Northern Alliance is composed largely of Tajiks. Along with Uzbeks, Turkmens, and Hazaras, they have been struggling against the rule of the mostly Pashtun Taliban. The Pashtun make up 40 per cent of the Afghan population, the largest single ethnic group.

Masood had survived a dozen or so previous assassination attempts.This time, the assassins disguised themselves as journalists, and were willing to die in order to kill Masood. An eyewitness to the murder accuses Osama bin Laden of being reponsible for the killing.