KABUL - National Peace and Reconciliation Commission head Sibghatullah Mujaddedi on Wednesday retracted his statement offering a general amnesty for top fugitive Afghan leaders.

At a news conference on Monday, the former president had said Taliban supremo Mullah Omar and then premier Gulbadin Hekmatyar could join mainstream politics if they renounced violence and pledged support to Karzai-led government.

The same day, a US military spokesman cast doubt on Mujaddedi's assertion that the independent commission was authorised to offer a general amnesty to all Afghans desiring to become part of the peace drive.

Col. James Yonts, in a chat with Pajhwok Afghan News two days back, insisted Mujaddedi had not suggested forgiveness for the wanted figures, and that he had been quoted out of context. He said the Afghan government fully understood and endorsed the ambit of the reconciliation process plus how hardened terrorists should be dealt with.

In what appeared a complete volte-face, the erstwhile jihadi leader disowned his Monday's offer and took great pains to establish his remarks were misconstrued by media-people. He went on to explain it was up to the Afghan nation to pardon or punish Hekmatyar and Mullah Omar, both on the US most wanted list.

"If they accept Afghanistan's new basic law and give up fighting, they may be forgiven. But personally speaking, I can't let them off them because I don't have the right," Mujaddedi concluded.