Lebanon, Syria, Iran next targets
Terrorists planning more murders: Bush

Excelsior Correspondent

UNITED NATIONS, Nov 10: US President George W Bush today warned the UN General Assembly that "terrorists are planning more murder" and that almost any nation is "a potential target."

"As we meet, the terrorists are planning more murder, perhaps in my country or perhaps in yours," he said in a speech here meant to spur action in the war on terrorism in the wake of the September 11 onslaught against the United States.

"Few countries meet their exacting standards of brutality and oppression. Every other country is a potential target, and all the world faces the most horrifying prospect of all: these same terrorists are searching for weapons of mass destruction, the tools to turn their hatred into holocaust.

"They can be expected to use chemical, biological and nuclear weapons the moment they are capable of doing so. No hint of conscience would prevent it. This threat cannot be ignored. This threat cannot be appeased. Civilization itself, the civilization we share, is threatened."

The President thanked the United Nations for condolences in the wake of September 11 terror strikes but declared that "the time for action has now arrived" in the war on terrorism.

"The time for sympathy has now passed, the time for action has now arrived," he said in his first address to the UN General Assembly since taking office in January.

"The only alternative to victory is a nightmare world where every city is a potential killing field," he declared. Bush told the General Assembly that Washington "stands by its commitment" to forging "a just peace" in the Middle East.

"We are working toward the day when two states — Israel and Palestine — live peacefully together within secure and recognized borders as called for by the Security Council resolutions," he declared.

"We will do all in our power to bring both parties back into negotiations. But peace will only come when all have sworn off forever incitement, violence and terror," he said.

Bush told the United Nations today that all countries share an urgent obligation to battle terrorism. "For every regime that sponsors terror, there is a price to be paid and it will be paid," Bush said.

"The time for action has now arrived," Bush said in his inaugural appearance before the General Assembly. Nations that support terror "are equally guilty of murder and equally accountable to justice."

"Some Governments still turn a blind eye to the terrorists, hoping the threat will pass them by. They are mistaken," the President said.

The United States is emerging from its initial grief from the Sept 11 attacks, Bush said, and now expects more than sympathy from countries that have rallied to the US-led anti-terror cause.

"We must unite in opposing all terrorists, not just some of them," Bush said. "Any Government that rejects this principle, trying to pick and choose its terrorist friends, will know the consequences." (With Agencies)

Option of hot pursuit in J&K still open : Naidu

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 10: Stressing that the policy of hot pursuit against ongoing terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir was still open, the Union Minister for Rural Development and senior Bharatiya Janta Party leader Mr M Venkaiah Naidu today did not rule out the option of striking terrorist training camps in Pak occupied Kashmir.

"Our policy of hot pursuit against Pakistan sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is still open and if required we may go for striking their training camps in PoK at the appropriate time," he told mediapersons during a hurriedly called press conference, here today.

Mr Naidu said that entire nation stands behind the people of Jammu and Kashmir to meet the challenge of terrorism unleashed by the ultras aided and abetted by Pakistan and to end the menace, New Delhi can go to the extent of targeting terrorist camps across the border.

Charging the Congress and Left parties with double standard for their criticism to Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO), the BJP leader alleged that these parties were opposing the ordinance only for sake of opposition.

"The opposition of POTO by Congress and Left parties, is nothing but short sighted political approach on part of their usual double standard," he said

Mr Naidu alleged that the people opposing the POTO were doing so only for the sake of opposition and appealed all political parties to take a nationalist stand on the issue.

Allaying fears about the misuse of POTO, the Union Minister sought to assure that there was nothing draconian in the ordinance which would choke the freedom of expression or harm the civil rights.

"Only terrorists are needed to be worried about POTO and none others," he said and added," civil rights are for civilian and human rights for humans while terrorists are not humane."

Mr Naidu also denied that POTO imposes some restrictions on freedom of expression and clarified that there was nothing against journalist in the ordinance. "I assure you that there is nothing against the freedom of expression or journalists in POTO and all fears regarding this are mere imaginations of some vested interests," he said.

Accusing the Congress of unleashing a ‘disinformation’ campaign against the POTO, the BJP leader alleged that the dubbing of POTO as draconian by the party which enforced the MESA, Organised Crime Prevention Act and various other such ordinances and used them even against its political opponents, was nothing but double standard.

Disclosing that an ordinance similar to POTO was already in force at Congress ruled Karnataka State, Mr Naidu asked, " if POTO is good in Karnataka then how is it draconian in Delhi and other State."

Contradicting the opposition parties claim that they were not taken into confidence on POTO, the Union Minister informed that the ordinance was discussed in Chief Minister’s conference at New Delhi as well as Cabinet’s Consultant Committee earlier.

Replying to a query, Mr Naidu said that there were certain lacunas in TADA which lapsed last year and informed that certain new sections have been incorporated in POTO to overcome these lacunas.

Responding to a query, the Union Minister for Rural Development announced that J&K would continue to get special consideration from the Centre provided the utilisation certificates are submitted by the State on time.

Stressing for involvement of local elected representatives in implementation of rural development programmes, the Union Minister informed that the Centre has formulated certain guidelines and a four point formula for proper utilization of funds released for various schemes under rural development.

"The formula includes bringing transparency in implementation of the programmes, awareness among people, participation of local representatives, commissioning of works through the Gram Panchayats," he said.

He said there has been no reduction in funds to the State under various schemes but higher allocations are being provided against various newly launched schemes such as PGMY, SGRY. "Considering the importance of providing accelerated rural water supply, the Centre has decided to allocate Rs 71 crore to the State under PGMY apart from funds being provided under Rural Water Supply Programme," he informed.

Giving details about his official meeting with various minister of the State Government to review the working of developmental activities in the State under various Centrally sponsored schemes, Mr Naidu said that under the newly launched SGRY, the State will get Rs 26 cr besides foodgrains worth Rs 30 cr and added that another Rs 24 cr would be made available to the State to cover 40,000 hectares of land in drought prone areas under watershed development programme.

Mr Naidu said Rs 55 cr would be provided to the State under Prime Minister’s National Rural Connectivity programme including Rs 15 cr for border areas. He impressed the need for formulation of district road maps strictly according to the guidelines and wetted by the concerned MP and MLAs and added that allocation of funds under the scheme will depend on the sustained progress of work and utilization of funds.

Taliban admit Mazar-e-Sharif lost
Opposition captures 4 more provinces

JABAL-US-SARAJ, AFGHANISTAN, Nov 10: Afghanistan’s opposition Northern Alliance said they had swept into four more provinces in the north today and Taliban fighters put up a fierce resistance in some places.

"Today we have captured Samangan, Sara-i-Pol, Faryab and Jowzjan," ethnic Uzbek General Abdul Rashid Dostum told Reuters by satellite telephone, interrupting a strategy meeting with other commanders to take the call.

He said his troops were now advancing on western Badghis in a move that would allow him to join his troops with those of Mujahideen general Ismail Khan near the strategic western city of Herat.

"In some areas there was strong resistance, in others they fell without much fighting," Shiite commander Mohakik told Reuters by telephone.

Meanwhile, Taliban today acknowledged that they lost the key city of Mazar-e-Sharif, and an opposition commander said the attack on the capital Kabul would start within days.

Opposition spokesmen said they were pursuing Taliban fighters as they retreated from Mazar-e-Sharif, which the anti-Taliban said they entered yesterday. The opposition said U.S. Jets were searching for Taliban units to attack them from the air.

"This morning the city is quiet," said Karim Khalili, spokesman for the Shiite Muslim opposition. "There is no fighting. All Taliban are gone."

The capture of Mazar-e-Sharif was the biggest success since President George W. Bush launched airstrikes on October seven to force Taliban to hand over Osama bin Laden, chief suspect in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

With Mazar-e-Sharif in opposition hands, the U.S.-led coalition can open a land bridge to Uzbekistan, 70 km to the north to rush in humanitarian goods and military supplies to anti-Taliban forces.

Mazar-e-Sharif also has a large airport that could be refurbished for American and allied aircraft to conduct humanitarian missions and mount attacks against Taliban from within Afghanistan.

Following Taliban withdrawal from the city, opposition officials said hundreds of Arab and Pakistani volunteers fighting with the Islamic militia had holed up in a school 10 km west of Mazar-e-Sharif.

"Our soldiers are trying to take them alive," said Saeed Zaher Wasik, a spokesman for the Shiite Muslim faction of the opposition Northern Alliance.

In Kabul, Taliban denied the report. Abdul Hanan Hemat, chief of Taliban-controlled Bakhtar news agency, said "there are no troops under siege and that the bulk of Taliban forces had withdrawn to Samangan province east of Mazar-e-Sharif.

Hemat also said the Taliban withdrew from Mazar-e-Sharif under orders from the defense ministry to save the soldiers and the city.

"We did not want to risk our soldiers or have the city destroyed, so we left," he said. "But our morale is high. Losing Mazar-e-Sharif has not damaged our spirit."

He said the opposition would have been unable to take the city had it not been for a week of relentless bombing by U.S. Jets.

The various reports could not be confirmed because no foreign reporters have been allowed near Mazar-e-Sharif.

The fall of the strategic city boosted opposition morale on the other main front, about 50 km north of Kabul. Alim Khan, a Northern Alliance Commander there, said an attack on the city was to start within three days and that 1,000 opposition troops planned to assemble tomorrow at Bagram, site of an opposition-controlled air base near the front line.

Meanwhile, American B-52 bombers and other warplanes attacked north of Kabul today, and enormous clouds of smoke billowed skyward from Taliban positions.

Capitalising on their victory, anti-Taliban troops also took control of Hairatan on the Afghan border with Uzbekistan, said Mohammed Abil, a spokesman for Burhanuddin Rabbani, the titular head of the Afghan opposition. The residents of Mazar-e-Sharif warmly greeted triumphant alliance fighters when they entered the city, said Mohammed Hasham Saad, the top opposition official in Uzbekistan. Most people in the city, along with the majority of Northern Alliance soldiers, are ethnic Tajiks and Uzbeks.

"They helped our forces move inside of the city and gave them food and information," Saad said. Some civilians pointed out Taliban positions to Alliance fighters, he said.

He said radio Mazar-e-Sharif had begun broadcasting and that one of the first messages to the people was from Rabbani, former Afghan President who was ousted by the Taliban in 1996.

In Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the Northern Alliance’s foreign minister, Abdullah, said the Taliban had left 20 tanks and man heavy weapons behind. At least 20 Taliban fighters were killed and hundreds were taken prisoner, he said.

Anti-Taliban troops at the front were cheered by the news of the fall of Mazar-e-Sharif, which changed hands several times in the late 1990s and was the site of massacres. Villagers crowded around transistor radios to hear the latest news.

"This is the beginning of the collapse of Taliban," said Nur Agha, a 22-year-old fighter.

Mohammad Afzal Amon, the Commander of the opposition’s elite Zarbati troops north of Kabul, said 600 troops had been sent to his area since the victory in Mazar-e-Sharif.

In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell told reporters it would be best if the opposition did not move immediately towards Kabul, since the city’s population is likely to be hostile to it.(AP)

'‘We too have a charge-sheet against America'
Laden says he has chemical, nuclear weapons

ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: Terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden has claimed that his Al-Qaeda network possessed chemical and nuclear weapons and said that he reserved the right to use them if the Americans target them with such arms.

"We have chemical and nuclear weapons as deterrent and if America used them against us, we reserve the right to use them," Bin Laden said in his first-ever press interview after the Sept 11 terrorist attacks in the US.

Bin Laden spoke to Hamid Mir, Editor of Pakistan’s Urdu daily ‘Ausaf’, from his hideout near Kabul.

Asked how he acquired the materials, Laden curtly asked the journalist to "go to your next question."

Laden spoke with anger and disappointment about Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s decision to join us to fight against him, which he said was an "unjustified surrender to the demands of America."

"The Government of Pakistan should have the wishes of the people in view. It should not have surrendered to the unjustified demands of America. America does not have solid proof against us. It just has some surmises. It is unjust to start bombing on the basis of those surmises," he said.

To a question on what he would do if America attacked Pakistan with the help of India and Israel, Bin Laden countered by asking "what has America achieved by attacking Afghanistan?

"We will not leave the Pakistani people and the Pakistani territory at anybody’s mercy. We will defend Pakistan. But we have been disappointed by Gen Musharraf. He says that the majority is with him. I say the majority is against him."

Asked whether he would agree for a trial in a third Muslim country if us withdraws from Saudi Arabia and the Al-Qqsa mosque was "liberated," Osama said: "Only Afghanistan is an Islamic country. Pakistan follows the English law. I don’t consider Saudi Arabia an Islamic country.

"If the Americans have charges against me, we too have a chargesheet against them," he added.

Asked how he justified the death of innocent people in the Sept 11 attacks in the light of Islamic teachings, he said "this is a major point in jurisprudence. If an enemy occupies a Muslim territory and uses common people as human shields, then it is permitted to attack the enemy.

"America and its allies are massacring us in Palestine, Chechnya, Kashmir and Iraq. The Muslims have the right to attack America in reprisal. The Islamic law says Muslims should live in the land of the infidel for long. The September 11 attacks were not targeted at women and children. The real targets were America’s icons of military and economic power."

Stating that the entire America is responsible for the atrocities perpetrated against Muslims, Bin Laden said "the American people should remember that they pay taxes to their Government, they elect their President, their Government manufactures arms and gives them to Israel and Israel uses them to massacre Palestinians. He said the American people "should force their Government to give up its anti-Muslim policies and rise up against their Government as they did during the Vietnam war. The American people should stop the massacre of Muslims by their Government."

Mir, who is also writing a biography of Bin Laden, wrote that he was taken blindfolded in a jeep from Kabul on the night of Nov 7 to a place where it was extremely cold and one could hear the sound of anti-aircraft guns.

After waiting for some time, Osama arrived with about a dozen bodyguards and Egyptian militant Dr Ayman Al-Zuwahiri, he wrote.

Replying to question about how he knew that the Sept 11 attacks were carried out by Muslims as claimed by him in his statement in Al-Jazeera television on Oct 7, Osama said: "The Americans themselves released a list of the suspects of the Sept 11 attacks, saying that the persons named were all Muslims.

"They were all Muslims, of whom 15 belonged to Saudi Arabia, two were from the UAE and one from Egypt. According to the information I have, they were all passengers. Fateha (prayer for the departed soul) was held for them in their homes. But America said they were hijackers."

"We are carrying on the mission of our Prophet, Muhammad. The mission is to spread the word of god, not to indulge massacring people. We ourselves are the target of killings, destruction and atrocities.

"We are only defending ourselves. This is defensive Jihad. We want to defend our people and our land. That is why I say that if we don’t get security, the Americans, too would not get security."

On the ‘Fatwa’ (religious edict) issued by Egypt’s Jamia Al-Azhar stating that the views and beliefs of Osama bin Laden had nothing to do with Islam, he said the Fatwa had no value for him and accused such clerics of supporting the "infidels for personal gain."

"History is full of such ulema (clerics) who justify riba (economic interest), who justify the occupation of Palestine by Jews, who justify the presence of American troops in holy places in Saudi Arabia.

"Tell me if Indian forces invaded Pakistan what would you do? the Israeli forces occupy our land and the American troops are on our territory. We have no option but to wage Jihad."

He also denied reports that he had kidney problems. "My kidneys are all right. I did not go to Dubai last year. One British newspaper has published an imaginary interview with Islamabad dateline with one of my sons who lives in Saudi Arabia. All this is false".

Asked whether Taliban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar married his daughter or he married Taliban leader’s daughter, Osama laughed off the question saying "all my wives are Arabs and all my daughters are married to Arab Mujahideen. I have spiritual relationship with Mullah Omar. He is a great and brave Muslim of this age. He does not fear anyone but Allah.

"He is not under any personal relationship or obligation to me. He is only discharging his religious duty. I, too, have not chosen this life out of any personal consideration," he said. (PTI)

Afghan terrorist shot dead near Rajouri

Excelsior Correspondent

RAJOURI, Nov 10: A terrorist was killed in a joint encounter with army and Special Operations Group (SOG) Rajouri in village Gurdan Pain this morning.

Abu Tarar Khan, a district commander of Al Badar, hailing from Afghanistan, was eliminated after a fierce one hour long gun-battle by army and SOG in a dhok at Gurdan Pain at 0700 hours today.

Abu Tarar had recently been pushed to India by Pakistan army to boost sagging morale of the terrorists. One AK-56 rifle, three magazines, 45 rounds, two hand grenades, a radio set and some incriminating documents were recovered from his possession.

Reports said that Tarar had infiltrated alongwith six other terrorists from Pakistan and Afghanistan through the Line of Control (LoC) in Thandi Kassi area of this district about four days back. They were spotted by a group of local people while moving in a forest area. People informed security forces.

Army and SOG were hunting the terrorist group in Gurdan Pain since last evening. However, a contact with them was established only this morning.

While Abu Tarar Khan, who was main target of the security forces, was killed in the operation his other associates (suspected to be six in number) managed to escape and were being searches by the troops.

Meanwhile, in Jammu, a civilian was injured in heavy firing by Pakistan army in Chakroi area of RS Pura sector this afternoon. Injured has been identified as Darshan Lal son on Baldev Raj, a resident of Chakroi.

Darshan Lal was working in his fields when he was hit by Pakistani bullets. He has been admitted to Medical College hospital in critical condition.

Firing was replied by the Indian side effectively.

3 militants killed in Verinag
Fidayeen attempt foiled in Pulwama
2 SOG men killed, 40 shops gutted in Tral

From Ahmed Ali Fayaz

SRINAGAR, Nov 10: In yet another incident of over-reaction, Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu & Kashmir Police set ablaze at least 40 shops when militants ambushed a contingent, killing two personnel, at south Kashmir township of Tral this evening. In the same Pulwama district, Border Security Force (BSF) foiled a suicide attack of militants at Shajimarg while as three militants died in a gunbattle in Verinag area of Anantnag district today.

Informed sources at Tral, in Pulwama district, told EXCELSIOR that a contingent of SOG Tral was returning from Awantipore when a group of six Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen militants ambushed it at the main bus-stand of the town, at 5.55 p.m. this evening. Head constable Bansi Lal (of IRP 01 Bn) and SPO Faqeer Ahmed died on spot while as driver-SPO Satpal sustained injuries. SOG retaliated, forcing the militants to retreat. Fifteen minutes after the attack, the SOG party ran amok, opened indiscriminate gunfire and set ablaze some shops nearby. Flames engulfed the whole market and at least 40 shops perished in the devastating blaze. In all, 52 structures, including the two-storeyed building of Islamia School, had perished and the fire brigade was fighting flames when reports last came in at 2300 hours. In addition to the SOG’s Gypsy, four Tata-Sumo vehicles were also destroyed.

Residents, quoting the fire brigade officials, said that three dead bodies of unidentified civilians were recovered from the debris of some shops. Officials, who could be reached for comments, did not confirm it. A 10-year-old boy, who sustained 90% burn injuries, and 18-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed Ganai of Kachmulla were rushed to hospital in critical condition.

Sources said that in exchange of gunfire and later the indiscriminate firing by the infuriated SOG men, three more civilian sustained gunshot wounds. Identified as Mohammad Ramzan Ganai of Kharpora, Bilal Ahmed Zargar of Tral and Shahid Amin Shah of Tral, they were rushed to hospital.

However, official sources maintained that all the five civilians were injured "in cross-firing". These sources insisted that two shops caught fire during the gunbattle and claimed that only seven shops suffered extensive damage. Residents alleged that the SOG party did not allow the fire brigade to douse the flames untill the whole market perished in about an hour. SP Awantipore, Abdul Hameed, and SP Operations Pulwama, Vijay Kumar, rushed to the spot and helped the fire brigade in firefighting operation.

Fidayeen attempt foiled

Official sources added that at 8.55 p.m. this evening, a group of Fidayeen directed heavy volume of gunfire on the company headquarters of BSF 9th Bn at Shajimarg, in Pulwama district. Troops retaliated and foiled the militants’ attempts of storming the formation. As the militants appeared to have withdrawn after a gunbattle of 40 minutes, officials believed that one militant died in the clash.

Meanwhile, reports available from Anantnag said that three militants of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen got killed in a gunbattle with security forces at Kagund village in Verinag locality. Official sources said that on a Police tip off, troops of 17-Punjab laid siege to Kagund village last evening. As the troops, with a reinforcement of ITBP 10th Bn, zeroed in on the militant hideout, a fierce gunbattle took place which continued overnight. Four residential houses gutted in the clash and all the three holed up militants got killed. They were identified as Riyaz Ahmed Lone alias Altaf Darzi S/o Ghulam Rasool Lone of Kapran, Mohamad Amin Lone S/o Ghulam Hassan Lone of Rein-Chogund and a Pakistani national who carried a fake identity card in the name of Mohammad Yaseen of Banihal.

Sources said that two soldiers sustained minor injuries in the armed clash.

Here in the capital city, militants lobbed a hand grenade on a vehicle of BSF 171 Bn at the crowded Batmaloo bus-stand this afternoon. Three BSF personnel and six commuters of Ganderbal area sustained splinter injuries. They were rushed to hospital.

Fake doctor lands in police lock-up

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 10: Police today arrested a youth impersonating as a qualified doctor and recommending treatment to the innocent patients in a village of RS Pura tehsil.

The cheat, who has been booked by police under Section 420/411 RPC and 3/13 DCOA, was identified by police as Kulbir Singh Peeliya son of Sewak Singh, a resident of Dablehar.

SP Border Manish Kishore Sinha said the accused was running a medical shop at village Jinder Melu under jurisdiction of RS Pura police station. He claimed himself a qualified doctor and used to recommend treatment of various ailments to innocent villagers.

On verifications, Sinha said, it was established that Kulbir Singh was not a qualified doctor and was only duping the innocent people of several villages,

Kulbir Singh was taken into custody by police. A large quantity of outdated medicines were also recovered from his shop, he said and added that a case has been registered against the accused at RS Pura police station for further investigations.

Meanwhile, another raid was carried out by RS Pura police in Ward No. 9 last night and crackers worth approximated Rs one lakh, stored illegally in their house for sale, were seized.

Two persons were arrested in this connection. They included Ajay Kumar and Menakash Kumar. The duo had no permission to store crackers in the house, police sources said.

Meanwhile, the sources said, a police party of Ramgarh police station have arrested two stabbers Balkar Singh and Balwant Singh from Ramgarh Bazaar last night. Both of them were wanted in a case of stabbing, registered at Ramgarh police station and were evading arrest. They were arrested by a police patrol party, which spotted them while moving towards a shop.

Kalam replaced by Chidambaram

NEW DELHI, Nov 10: Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, high-profile Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government, has decided to demit office and Dr R Chidambaram, former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, has been appointed in his place, according to official sources.

Sources close to Kalam, who is regarded as the father of missile systems in India, said he had been for quite some time keen on pursuing academic interests and helping scientists across the country in developing their research capabilities.

While Kalam was away from Delhi, sources say that he might join Indian Institute of Science (IISC) in Bangalore as a professor Emeritus.

Meanwhile, Chidambaram confirming his appointment in Kalam’s place said in Mumbai "I am happy to take over the post from my illustrious colleague and close friend." A distinguished experimental physicist, Chidambaram also played a leading role in the design and execution of the Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) at Pokhran in 1974.

He completed his PhD in the IISC after his early days in Meerut and Chennai. Joining BARC in 1962, Chidambaram became its Director in 1990. He also held the post of Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during 1994-95.

A distinguished experimental physicist, Chidambaram also played a leading role in the design and execution of the Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) at Pokhran in 1974.

A fellow of the third world Academy of Sciences, Trieste (Italy), Chidambaram is currently DAE Homi Bhabha Chair Professor at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and has recently taken over the chairmanship of the Council and governing body of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC).

Chidambaram, after his early days in Meerut and Chennai, completed his PhD in the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, from where he later got his DSC degree, DAE sources said.

Chidambaram has won several awards including the C V Raman Birth Centenary Award given by Indian Science Congress Association in 1995 and R D Birla Award of Indian Physics Association, 1996. (PTI)

US seeks Indian logistic facilities

NEW DELHI, Nov 10 : The United States has sought the use of naval and airfield facilities from India for its military campaign in Afghanistan, Defence Minister George Fernandes disclosed today.

"Though they (US) have not sought any direct military assistance, they have sent certain proposals on the use of our naval facilities and airfields," Fernandes told ‘Aaj Tak’.

The Defence Minister’s statement came in the backdrop of reports that Washington was seeking a military alliance with New Delhi, which was denied both by the US Embassy here and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, who is in the US.

Fernandes ruled out the possibility of involvement of Indian Armed Forces personnel in the US-led military operations in Afghanistan, but said New Delhi would consider other requests by Washington for logistical facilities in the war against terrorism.

"A decision on these has to be taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security which could meet only after the return of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee from his foreign tour," he said, adding that he could not give any firm view as it has to be a decision of national importance.

"I want to make it clear that there is no question of involving directly our Armed forces in the on-going operations in Afghanistan," Fernandes said.(PTI)

9 Mech Enggs transferred

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 10: The Government has ordered the transfer and posting of nine Mechanical Engineers working in various departments across the State.

N K Gupta, incharge Superintendent Engineer SKIMS Srinagar has been transferred and deputed to Geology and Mining Department against an available post of Chief Drilling Engineer.

B K Gupta, incharge Executive Engineer MID Jammu on his transfer has also been deputed to Geology and Mining Department against the post of Senior Drilling Engineer.

Incharge Executive Engineer Mechanical Central Heating Division Srinagar, A R Qazi on his transfer has too been deputed to Geology and Mining Department against the post of Senior Drilling Engineer.

J K Pandita, incharge Executive Engineer MID South Srinagar has been transferred and posed to SKIMS vice N K Gupta.

SS Anand, incharge Assistant Executive Engineer RTIC Udhampur has been transferred and posted as Deputy Director Central SPD against an available post.

B L Koul, incharge AEE has been transferred and posted to PHE Mech IV Kathua against an available post of Executive Engineer.

Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, incharge AEE PHE Mech Kashmir on is transfer has been posted in MID South Kashmir against an available post of Executive Engineer.

AK Puri, incharge AEE PHE Mech Jammu has been transferred and posted in Central Heating Division Srinagar against an available post of Executive Engineer.

Incharge AEE, AK Bhat on his transfer has been posted as TO to Chief Engineer Mech Kashmir.

Zahoor Hussain Zargar, incharge AEE I&FC Kashmir has been transferred and posted to SKIMS against an available post of Executive Engineer.

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