In March 2001, mere months before the horrifying events of 9/11, the Taliban ruled Afghanistan. Their leader, the mysterious one-eyed Mullah Omar, was famed for his piety and fastidious commitment to the tenets of Islam. But strangely, this devout and stern leader displayed ambivalence towards the curation of non-Islamic sites and artefacts, recognising their economic advantages as tourist destinations and their cultural significance for his impoverished country.