UK for reduction in Indo-Pak tension
Vajpayee tells Blair to go beyond Al Qaeda

From S D Rohmetra

LONDON, Nov 12: Skirting any direct mention of terrorism in Kashmir, British Premier Tony Blair today said his Government’s position on the issue has not changed and it wished to see tensions reduced between India and Pakistan.

Asked whether it would take another September 11 type attacks in the US or October one bomb blast in Srinagar, for the world to recognise terrorism in Kashmir, Blair said "people are well aware of the acts of carnage involving innocent civilians including in Srinagar, which was strongly condemned all around."

Addressing a joint press conference after wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Blair said his Government was well aware of the tensions and difficulties in the South Asian region since 1.5 million people from that region lived in Britain.

"It cannot ever be right for people to pursue their cause by slaughtering of innocents," he asserted.

Vajpayee said there was unanimity of views that terrorism should "not be encouraged for any purpose".

Meeting Blair for a second time in less than a month, Vajpayee said relations between the two countries has strength and vitality and both had identical views on several international issues.

He lauded the British decision to ban early this year six terrorist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir and the additional measures taken by it to counter the menace.

"We have to go beyond Al Qaeda and target all those who finance, harbour, train, equip and arm terrorists", Vajpayee said.

To a pointed question on India’s concerns on Pakistan sponsored terrorism in J and K, Blair said "I do not think anybody has changed their position on issue...... India has very strong and firmly held views about the situation in Kashmir..... The British Government’s position has not changed on it".

Describing Indo-British political ties as strong, Blair said "we want to see these relations strengthen further".

On Afghanistan, Blair said whatever regime takes over after Taliban has to be broad-based. It should not be a replication of the present Taliban regime.

He was responding to a question on whether Britain saw the inclusion of moderate Taliban in the future dispensation in Kabul.

Vajpayee said that international community should join hands for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the war-ravaged country with interested parties and ensure that there was no political vacuum there.

Blair said Mr Vajpayee had briefed him about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Vajpayee gave a detailed account of Pakistan’s active involvement in cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr Vajpayee who arrived here in the afternoon from New York on the last leg of his three-nation ten-day tour, straightaway drove to the 10-Downing Street for talks with Mr Blair.

The talks revolved around the situation in Afghanistan, bilateral relations and global terrorism.

Mr Vajpayee cautioned that any political vacuum in Afghanistan could worsen the political and security situation and stressed the need for installing an interim Government as quickly as possible.

To this Mr Blair said that UN special envoy on Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi was making serious efforts to evolve a consensus on the issue.

Mr Vajpayee appreciated the British Government for banning six terrorist groups operating in India early this year. This had strengthened cooperation between India and Britain against terrorism. He also referred to the Indo-British Joint Working Group (JWG) on terrorism.

He also referred to the strong trade relations between the two countries saying the trade turnover had crossed five billion pounds which indicated a healthy bilateral relationship. He also said the presence of the 1.5 million Indians in Britain was an "asset" in the political relations between the two countries.

Briefing newsmen, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra said Kashmir did not come in for focus as such during the discussions between the two leaders.

However, Blair stressed the "desirability" of a dialogue between India and Pakistan.

Blair described the discussions with Vajpayee as "constructive and detailed" on the current international coalition against terrorism, the conflict in Afghanistan and the post-Taliban scenario in the context of "some significant gains" made by the Northern Alliance.

"It is important that we must have the strongest possible coalition to fight terrorism in all its forms. I would like to pay tribute to the Indian cooperation and the strong role it plays in the international campaign," he said.

To a question, Mishra said the British Prime Minister raised the question of India buying the Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs) but Vajpayee told him that British Defence Minister Geoff Hoon, who is leaving for Delhi tonight, could discuss it there.

In reply to another question, he said the Prime Minister has not come to London to resolve any problems regarding defence deals.

He also dismissed a suggestion that Vajpayee had invited himself to Britain saying he came at the invitation of Blair as lot of events had taken place in Afghanistan and related to Afghanistan between Oct six (when the two met in Delhi) and today and they wanted to discuss them.

Blair said everyone was aware of Britain’s position on the killing of innocent citizens including in Srinagar "which I had condemned and I repeat it now".

On bilateral ties, Blair said the ties between the two countries were strong, "many many more times" stronger than before, and India should play an increasingly larger role in international peace and stability. Both he and Vajpayee were keen to see that the ties improved further.

Vajpayee, in his remarks, said he was happy to be able to continue their discussions from last month in Delhi which had always been cordial.

In Afghanistan, Vajpayee said, the two discussed the possible political structure after Taliban fell.

He renewed his invitation to Blair to visit India and hoped he would soon make a full-fledged visit.

50 Taliban soldiers killed, 300 held
NA captures Bamiyan, Herat; knocks at Kabul

ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: Opposition Northern Alliance forces today made a major push towards Kabul and captured the entire Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan and the key western city of Herat as ruling Taliban retreated from all northern provinces except Kunduz.

The alliance forces broke through a militia frontline north of the capital after capturing the district of Qara Bagh in just an hour-long battle leaving 100 Taliban soldiers dead, the opposition claimed.

Iran’s state-run news agency Irna quoting a leader of Afghan coalition of Shiite groups said that the opposition forces captured the entire Bamiyan province early this morning.

Karim Khalili said 50 Taliban fighters were killed and about 100 captured during the fight to regain Bamiyan.

Emboldened by their victory at northern Taliban stronghold of Mazar-e-Sharif and several neighbouring provinces, the alliance troops claimed to have also marched into the western city of Herat where people revolted against the militia.

In Kabul, Taliban fighters were setting up road blocks in a bid to create hurdles for opposition forces.

The alliance forces advanced through the frontlines north of Kabul from Charikar and Bagram after US stopped bombing raids in the area, reports reaching here said.

The alliance forces made the push towards Kabul despite an advice by the US not to do so fearing that the fighting could weaken the chance of building a post-Taliban coalition Government.

However, opposition Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said that while there was no "set plan to move into Kabul", he would not rule it out.

Opposition spokesman Waisuddin Salik was quoted as saying that 100 Taliban troops were killed while defending Qara Bagh, 40 km north of Kabul. The fighting lasted just about an hour.

An Iranian state radio correspondent in Herat said that the Northern Alliance forces had entered the city and it could be seen the Taliban forces were rapidly leaving and some of them were moving towards the alliance.

The opposition further claimed to have seized the strategic town of Pul-e-Khumri, north of Kabul and the town of Qala-e-Nau in the western province of Badghis.

The capture of Pul-e-Khumri would cut the main north-south road through the centre of Afghanistan, leaving the remaining Taliban forces in the north stranded.

According to opposition sources, the Northern Alliance forces have taken all the Taliban-held positions along the Sharatai front line in northeast Takhar province where dozens of Taliban troops were killed in combat.

The Northern Alliance yesterday said it had seized Taloqan, capital of Takhar province, a claim denied by the Taliban.

Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press reported that Taliban militia had pulled out of all northern provinces except Kunduz after opposition forces captured Faryab overnight.

The news agency also said that Taliban had withdrawn overnight from Maymana city in Faryab, bordering Turkmenistan to the northwest.

"We have retreated from the city," an unidentified Taliban spokesman was quoted as saying.

Abdullah Abdullah said Taliban had lost the bulk of their forces in opposition offensives across northern Afghanistan.

He said the Islamic militia had paid a heavy price as the opposition seized five northern provinces in the past three days. (PTI)

Omar says no to UN resolutions

NEW DELHI, Nov 12: Asserting that India must call Pakistan’s bluff on Kashmir, Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah today candidly conceded that New Delhi had been found wanting in effectively putting across its point of view.

"At the end of the day, we have to call Pakistan’s bluff and say we are not holding implementation of UN resolutions (on Kashmir). It is Pakistan which is doing so," Abdullah said on Karan Thapar’s Line of Fire programme on Sab TV.

He said Islamabad had never sought to implement the first condition of the resolution which is to vacate Pakistan occupied Kashmir which they have occupied illegally since August 15, 1947.

"There is no question of moving further from there. The UN resolution died the day Pakistan attacked India in the 60s," he said.

Asked about media reports that India had failed to match the Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s diplomatic success in New York, Abdullah said "if you leave a vacuum, certainly others will run in to fill it. If we have allowed by our inability or our unwillingness to put our point of view then obviously something is wrong. Obviously, we have not done it well enough....We have failed to put our point of view."

Ruling out the prospects of an early Vajpayee-Musharraf meeting, he said even on the basic point of finalising an agenda for the talks, there was no agreement as Musharraf was only interested in touting his one point agenda of Kashmir.

India has repeatedly said that it was willing to discuss Kashmir along with other outstanding issues but the Pakistan President refused to recognise this, Abdullah said.

He said the Prime Minister was "extremely positive" in Washington during his talks with US President George W Bush by not mentioning Pakistan and not seeking to hyphenate India’s relations with the US.

About the upcoming SAARC summit in Kathmandu early January when Vajpayee and Musharraf are expected to be present, he said the seven weeks before that would be a good time to reflect what has been said and not said and how to move forward. There has been a "lot of mistrust and distrust," he said.

On Bush’s description of Pakistan as a "strong ally" and Musharraf as a "strong leader," he shot back "why must we always assume that if Pakistan becomes an ally of the US, it becomes an ally at the cost of India."

Denying that India was sounding "peevish" or "churlish," he said New Delhi does recognise "what President Musharraf is doing is a difficult job." If the Pakistan President can clean up the mess in Afghanistan, it will certainly benefit India.

He said the "upswing" in Indo-US relations post September 11 terror strikes were "very much in place." "The priorities change from time to time but the fundamentals remain," he observed.

On the view that US had not been forthcoming in sharing India’s concerns on cross-border terrorism in Kashmir, Abdullah said "our fight against terrorism will continue regardless of whether other countries will join us or not. If US chooses to join us, great. If it doesn’t, it is not that we are going to back off as if we have lost and it is all over."

On Bush’s comments that any Government trying to pick and choose its terrorist friends "will know the consequences," he said "that is very much India’s language" as also what has been stipulated in UN Security Council resolution 1373.

"You cannot have passive support for terrorism and disguise it as support for freedom struggle or self-determination," he said.

The minister said today the US was interested to keep Pakistan on board in its fight against Afghanistan and "we must recognise that."

Observing that Pakistan was "certainly under notice," he said "they know it which is why what Musharraf says at the UN—Kashmir, Kashmir and Kashmir— must be taken with a pinch of salt. He has to go back to Pakistan. He already has a torrid time trying to convince people with what he did on Afghanistan was right. You cannot overnight expect him to stop touting the Kashmir Mantra."

India’s sincerity in working for normalisation of ties with Pakistan was reflected in the confidence-building measures announced by it shortly before the Agra summit, he said and regretted that Pakistan had in "no way responded to them." (PTI)

Participation in elections ruled out
Hurriyat holding talks with Centre: Lone

NEW DELHI, Nov 12: Senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone today admitted for the first time that the leadership of the amalgam had been holding "informal" talks with the Centre for resolving the Kashmir dispute.

Lone, however, claimed that the Centre violated the terms of references agreed between the two sides which included facilitating the Hurriyat leadership to go to Pakistan for holding talks with the militant leadership there.

"We had been negotiating with each other and we had asked the Centre to initiate some confidence building measures and prove its sincerity before the Kashmiri people that it was willing to solve the issue," Lone told reporters here.

The senior Hurriyat leader said "we had asked the Centre not to announce the name of K C Pant as the interlocutor until the Hurriyat leadership returned from Islamabad."

"However, barely two days later the Centre, ignoring our request, went public and announced the name of Pant as negotiator for Kashmir," Lone said.

He said "it is not a fact that Hurriyat is averse to talks. We remain quiet (on the issue) in the larger interest of the Kashmir issue."

"I have always maintained that no sane Kashmiri will reject a genuine offer for talks and I would like to state that we are willing to talk but when there is sincerity," the Hurriyat leader said.

Lone said the Hurriyat had made it clear to the Centre that it should only hold talks with the amalgam as "we would be taking care of all separatist parties of the State."

"Now look, Shabir Shah initiated talks with the Centre but what is the net result. Today, he (Shah) is not only annoyed with the Centre but has also fallen aloof within the Kashmiri society," Lone claimed.

Senior Hurriyat leader ruled out participation of the 23-party conglomerate in the coming Assembly elections and revealed that the Centre’s rigid policy has derailed informal dialogue process with the separatist leaders.

Lone, who escaped an attempt on his life ten days back, said the Hurriyat party continued to stick to its position of not taking part in the State Assembly elections, which are due in October 2002.

He said it was unfortunate that India did not match Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s abandoning of the Taliban by giving up its rigid stand on Kashmir.

"The best way to match Musharraf’s stand would have been if New Delhi, through exhibition of a similar sense of patriotism, had relented on its rigid stand on Kashmir," Lone said, adding India could have also provided "indirect" support to General Musharraf in weeding out extremism.

"It is not too late. The unfortunate events in Afghanistan can still be turned to the advantage of the South Asian region. A delectable by-product could be the build up of trust between the two nations, compared to a deleterious continuation of peace and economic prosperity being held hostage by the Kashmir issue."

Lone, however, preferred to smile and not reply when he was reminded that he had extended an invitation to Taliban to come to Kashmir.

After days of silence on the accusation of a militant outfit, Lone blamed the Pakistani intelligence agencies for creating a "confusion" by plotting "such irrelevant charges.

"I have no hard feelings against these young men who send these statements from across the Line of Control, since they happen to be helpless," he said.

The senior Hurriyat leader said the militarily redundant militant outfit, "Al Barq", was being used to create confusion besides causing doubts and terming "me as anti-movement."

This year, the same outfit faxed a threatening and a defamatory statement from across the LoC, followed by one more statement with similar contents on October 20," Lone said.

Lone claimed that on October 26, the same outfit again faxed a statement denying earlier two statements. "The statements have lacked consistency. The so-called commander of the outfit, who issued the statement, has apparently been dislodged and is cooling his heels in a jail in Pakistan," the senior Hurriyat Conference leader said.

He said the successor of the dislodged commander of the outfit had "asserted that the Rs 4.5 crore, meant for the affected families of Kashmir had been recovered from the jailed commander."

However, Lone said even the new commander of the outfit started issuing "defamatory statements" against him only to be dislodged after a few days.

"The latest commander (of the Al Barq) also sent a threatening and a defamatory statement against me and denied it after a few days," the senior Hurriyat leader said, adding "the so-called commanders may be playing musical chairs, but have succeeded in creating a confetti of confusion, due to their ability to get their statements published."

He said a section of the local media in Kashmir and the country "may have unwittingly become a pawn in the hands of these so-called militant organisations, who are bereft of any ‘military’ power, but are being used to issue statements with profound intent of violence.

"This helps in creating a miasma around the threat perception and provides cover for vested interests to go on with their morbid job," he said.

Lone equated his condition with a man, who is caught between "the devil and the deep sea" and said "I have to face attacks from all sides — State Government and the covert agencies on either side of the Line of Control."

The senior Hurriyat leader said the Enforcement Directorate filed a case against him and two other leaders of the amalgam in 1997. "Till date nothing has been heard about the case and neither of us has been called for questioning," Lone said.

Referring to the attack on his life, he said it seems to "bear the signature of the State and the Central Government." He said the State Government had removed security from his residence.

The Hurriyat Conference leader said that India and Pakistan have been involved in scores of futile bilateral summits since 1947.

Far from delivering a solution,the bilateral mode has resulted in three wars. The Agra summit was an addition to the series of failures. One of the main causes of failures is the exclusion of the basic party-the Kashmiris from the ambit of the negotiations.

The people of Kashmir will have to be consulted and their genuine aspirations fulfilled. (AGENCIES)

Hurriyat for cease-fire by security forces, militants

SRINAGAR, Nov 12: The Hurriyat Conference today called for a "comprehensive" ceasefire by all groups including the militants and security forces as part of its three-point formula to resolve the Kashmir issue.

The 23-party separatist alliance of political and religious groups said the formula also envisaged trilateral talks and setting a time-frame for a solution to the vexed problem.

"We propose negotiations involving India, Pakistan and true representatives of people of Jammu and Kashmir, simultaneous ceasefire by all involved and a time-frame for resolution of Kashmir issue," Hurriyat chairman Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat told newsmen here.

Bhat said the appeals by world leaders in the recent weeks to address the Kashmir issue was a "shot in its arm" for the amalgam.

Bhat said the chances of a solution to the Kashmir issue have brightened especially after the US President George Bush’s recent offer to bring India and Pakistan together to have good and meaningful talks on Kashmir taking into account the "wishes of the people of the State".

Elaborating on the Hurriyat’s ceasefire proposal, Bhat said it was in favour of a "conjoint ceasefire".

"All concerned need to go for ceasefire simultaneously so as it does not meet the same fate as that of a unilateral ceasefire announced by Hizbul Mujahideen in July 2000 and Indian Government’s unilateral ceasefire in November last year," Bhat said.

Reacting to criticism by State and Central leaders that Hurriyat were agents of Pakistan, Prof Bhat said "we are masters of our fate. Hurriyat has taken its decisions on its own and did not take dictations from others."

Calling for comprehensive negotiations to resolve the Kashmir issue, Bhat said it is a "volcano" which would explode "smashing India, Pakistan and Kashmir".

He said the Hurriyat leaders were the true representatives of the people of J and K.

Asked if the Hurriyat proposals for negotiations were accepted would they still insist on going to Pakistan for talks there, Bhat said "we want to talk to both India and Pakistan. Maybe, some of the Hurriyat leaders will visit New Delhi and some others to Islamabad for talks."

To a query on the president of J and K Democratic Freedom Party, Shabir Ahmad Shah’s call for closing of all ranks by all freedom groups in the State, Bhat said doors of Hurriyat were open for all to come and strengthen the alliance.

Asked to comment on the statement of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah demanding attack on training camps of militants in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Bhat said "it does not deserve comments".

He also alleged that people of J and K were victims of "state terrorism". (PTI)

Father-son killed in Kalakot
7 terrorists, guide shot dead

Excelsior Correspondent

POONCH/RAJOURI, Nov 12: Seven terrorists and a guide were killed in three operations across Poonch district today. One of them was carrying a fake identity card of sub district hospital, Surankot. The terrorists killed a father-son at their residence in Taryath area of Kalakot tehsil in Rajouri last night.

According to Defence sources, a group of freshly inducted terrorists was trapped by army and police at village Dara Sangla in Surankot tehsil early this morning. The ultras started heavy firing on the approaching columns of army from a hideout and ran away.

They were chased by the security personnel and again trapped in a forest area of Dara Sangla. After about 40 minutes firing, army jawans succeeded in eliminating all three terrorists, who were suspected to be Pakistanis.

One of them was carrying an identity card of Showkat Hussain, Nursing Orderly, sub district hospital, Surankot. On verifications, it was found that the card was fake and might have been given to the terrorist by Pakistan army.

Three AK-56 rifles, 10 magazines, 152 rounds, 12 hand grenades and a diary were recovered from the possession of slain ultras, whose identity and outfit couldn’t be ascertained immediately.

Four more militants were killed today in Dara Dullian village of Mendhar in a joint operation by army and police. In same area, troops had eliminated six ultras yesterday. With today’s killings, death toll of the ultras has gone upto 10.

Of 10, six slain terrorists have been identified as Abu Barera of Multan, Pakistan, a ‘deputy commander’ of LeT, Abu Khalid of Mral, Pakistan, Abu Amir and Khalid Mohd, both from Multan Choksa, Pakistan, Abu Alam Mohd and Abu Amma Udas from Afghanistan.

An infiltration attempt was foiled by troops of Poonch Brigade on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kandona Barachar area of Mandi sector in the wee hours of this morning. A Pakistani guide, who was leading a group of four terrorists, was shot dead by troops in half an hour long exchange of firing.

The terrorists fled back to Pakistan after the killing of their guide, the sources said.

Some Pakistani currency and three grenades were recovered from the slain guide, whose identity was not known. He was stated to be a local while the terrorists, infiltrating alongwith him, were Pakistanis of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit.

Yesterday, army and Poonch Police had eliminated 19 militants in three separate operations in Poonch district.

Meanwhile, a group of unidentified terrorists attacked the house of Qasim Din at village Bareri near Dharamshal under the jurisdiction of Taryath police post in Kalakot tehsil of Rajouri district last night.

The ultras killed Qasim Din and his son Mohd Shaffi alias Kaka and fled away.

Local people raised an alarm. Police and security forces visited the house and sealed Bareri. However, the terrorists remained untraced.

Reasons behind the killing of father-son couldn’t be established. Local police was investigating the case.

During a joint search operation, army and security forces smashed a hideout of the terrorists in Banola area of Mendhar tehsil in Poonch. Recovery made from the hide-out included five detonators, 16 cells, a safety fuse and a binocular.

Osama bin Laden in PoK?

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Nov 12: America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have forwarded a set of questions to the Indian Defence Ministry and Army Headquarters on the whereabouts of Taliban-aided ‘terror merchant’, Osama bin Laden.

This follows the receipt of unconfirmed reports by the Military Intelligence (MI) about the clandestine entry of a group of troops of Al Qaeda into Pakistan-held Skardu district across Kargil in Ladakh days after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

The CIA and the FBI have been informed that even as the reports are not based on hard facts, many in the Indian security establishment believe that Osama bin Laden is currently hiding in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Where exactly? This question has been raised by the US intelligence community.

Another question: Has someone seen Osama bin Laden in any specific location across the Kargil sector? Third question: How did reports vis-à-vis the clandestine entry of a group of troops of Al Qaeda into PoK reach Indian security establishment?

If these reports were to be believed, Osama and his trusted Arab crack troops are somewhere across the Line of Control (LoC) from Dras and Matayan. In fact, a weekly newsmagazine has let it be known that Indian intelligence agencies believe that Osama is hiding in Deosai in PoK.

The Deosai region, about 100 km long, witnessed what the reports termed as "unusual motor and mule transport movement" in the days that followed the September 11 attacks in the United States. This led to the suspicion that one of the passengers from Kandahar in Afghanistan to the Deosai region in the Skardu district was Osama bin Laden.

The newsmagazine’s yet another interesting piece of information: Indian Army signalsmen had, after Pakistan President, Gen. Parvez Musharraf, announced his country’s support to America in its war on terror, intercepted messages from PoK to Afghani militants in the Kashmir valley. These and other signals suggested that many militants would be pushed into the Valley.

Subsequently, Indian Army, according to the newsmagazine, noticed movements in Gultari and some other areas pointing to another Pakistani bid to push militants into Kashmir. The Pak Army has a large camp in Gultari across Dras in Kargil sector.

The Gultari camp, where 11 Northern Light, 24 Sind, 18 Punjab, 5 Baluch and elements of Khyber Rifles are located, was reported to have been unusually active in the last one month or so. The recent firing on the Line of Control is believed to be a manifestation of the tension caused by the presence of Al Qaeda members in the Northern Areas (across Kargil district).

Recently, some Afghan refugees told foreign journalists in Peshawar that a feet of tinted-windowed Toyota Land Cruisers had driven out of Kandahar a few days after September 11. The drivers, they insisted, were not Afghans, but Arabs. Osama bin Laden, though a guest of the Taliban, has always surrounded himself with his Arab crack troops. Have they really entered the Deosai plain across Kargil?

The area is more inaccessible than some of the known cave networks of Afghanistan, particularly during winter months. The area, roughly 70 km away from the LoC, is, according to defence analysts, beyond the range of Indian artillery guns. Naturally, the concern on the Indian side is whether Pakistan, worried about getting caught by the Americans, would push Al Qaeda activists into the Indian side of the LoC.

The reported presence of Al Qaeda in Pakistan-controlled Northern Areas has brought the two countries closer to a conflict. It is, apparently, in this context that the US President, Mr George W Bush, Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, and Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Rumsfeld, continue to urge New Delhi and Islamabad to maintain utmost restraint and work for a rapprochement between the two sides.

Al-Qaeda smuggles two nuke weapons to US

NEW DELHI, Nov 12: Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda network may have successfully transported several nuclear, biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction to the United States, a Pakistani daily has reported.

Stating that Pakistani and American investigators were "jointly probing" the possibility of such an attack when the United Nations General Assembly was on, `The Frontier Post’, quoting sources close to the investigators, said they "have reached a conclusion that at least two briefcase nuclear weapons may have reached the US shores".

"The investigators have been able to identify at least one briefcase weapon acquired by Al Qaeda from central Asian rogue groups," the report said.

It said the weapon identified was a small eight-kilogramme device that carries at least two kgs of fissionable plutonium and uranium. "The device, of Russian make, carries a serial number 9999 and manufacturing date October 1988."

Describing the device as "simple", the report said the radioactive materials were kept in separate compartments, on top of which the charging mechanism is placed. "The charging mechanism can be activated through a timer or even through a cellphone command", it said.

Besides the nuclear devices, Al Qaeda activists are said to be in possession of "at least 70 capsules, also of Russian origin, containing a very lethal biological agent".

"Broken in a crowded place, this capsule can cause deaths on a huge scale. It melts human body meat to the bone," the report said, adding that another chemical agent the terrorist outfit has was called `Vipera Lebentina Venema’, a derivative of snake poison. (PTI)

ABI accolade for Excelsior scribe

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 12: American Biographical Institute (ABI) has nominated Srinagar Bureau Chief of Daily EXCELSIOR, Ahmed Ali Fayaz, in the prestigious category of the "Man of The Year" for 2001. According to the ABI President, J M Evans, the Institute’s International Board of Research decided on Mr Fayaz’s nomination due to his "averall accomplishments and contributions to society".

While congratulating Mr Fayaz, the ABI chief has written to him: "Singling out a limited number to receive the accolade MAN OF THE YEAR has been difficult indeed. Much deliberation was held to choose those whose achievements and dedication toward exemplary goals were among the best we have seen".

Mr Fayaz, working with Daily EXCELSIOR since June, 1995, was earlier too nominated for the same accolade by ABI in 1998 and also by a UK-based biographical institute in the same year.

Ultra killed, house burnt

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Nov 12: A foreign mercenary of Hizbul Mujahideen was eliminated by STF in Gund nullah in Banihal tehsil of Doda late last night.

Slain militant remained unidentified, SP Ramban Karnail Singh said.

One AK-47 rifle, a wireless set, a Chinese pistol and two grenades were recovered from the ultra.

In Doda, the terrorists set ablaze a house of Vilayat Singh, which he had rented out to army. Thirty arms bags carrying uniforms and luggage of jawans were burnt in the house.

George supports US strike during Ramzan

PATNA, Nov 12: Defence Minister George Fernandes today hoped that the global war against terrorism will not end at Afghanistan and be extended to Jammu and Kashmir.

"The issue has been discussed at the top level .... India made its concerns about terrorism in J and K known to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during their recent visits to Delhi.

"We believe the war against terror is not a one-nation specific matter but concerns all those facing terrorist attacks," he told newsmen here.

He said, the country’s position on Kashmir is clear and no third party intervention was acceptable. "A large part of J and K is under Pakistani occupation and a significant portion of it has been gifted to China .... This, in our view is the Kashmir dispute."

Fernandes said the Indo-Pak border is comparatively calm now as firing by Pakistani side had come down almost to the level when India’s unilateral ceasefire was in force.

"A few hundred rounds fire from small arms does not matter much and we are not even retaliating....There is nothing happening on the border to cause any anxiety," he said adding the troop movement close to the border a fortnight ago was clarified as routine exercise by Pakistan.

Indian troops are ruthlessly dealing with the terrorists in that State and had inflicted many casualties over the past one month, he added.

Fernandes supported US military strikes in Afghanistan during Ramzan and hoped that the global war against terrorism would be extended to Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that bringing religious sentiments in the fight against terrorism "did not make any sense."

"I don’t think we should bring religion into it .... What is happening in Afghanistan is not a fight against religion .... It is a fight against terrorism and a terrorist has no religion," he said.

Asked to comment on the suggestion by some countries that US strikes should stop in view of rising civilian casualties, he said "I want to know of any war, in which innocent civilians are not killed. We have lost over 30,000 innocent civilians in the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir. Don’t Kashmiris have human rights ?" he asked.

The Defence Minister hoped the battle against terrorism would not end at Afghaistan and extend to J & K. "The issue has been discussed at the top level .... India made its concerns about terrorism in J and K known to British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld during their recent visits to Delhi.

"We believe the war against terror is not a one-nation specific matter but concerns all those facing terrorist attacks," Fernandes said.

He said there was reason in the US’ decision asking the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance to refrain from entering Kabul in its current military offensive until a post-militia dispensation was put in place.

Union Rural Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu joined Fernandes in calling for continued US attacks on the Taliban during Ramzan saying the war against terrorism across the world should continue till the last terrorist was brought to justice.

Naidu told reporters here the war should continue till it was brought to a logical conclusion. (PTI)

Heavy shelling on LoC
Jawan killed, 3 serious

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 12: Pakistan army stepped-up shelling and firing on Indian positions all along the Line of Control (LoC) and international border today killing an army jawan and wounding three others. Retaliatory firing by army also led to ‘some casualties’ on Pakistan side but their details couldn’t be gathered.

There was no word on the fierce shelling in Balakot sector of Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district by army side. Reliable sources, however, said that one army soldier was killed and three others were seriously injured in the shelling last mid-night.

Deceased jawan has been identified as Sepoy Lakhwinder Singh. Identity of injured jawans couldn’t be ascertained. They have been admitted to hospital.

In the garb of shelling, Pakistan army also tried to push a group of infiltrators on Indian side but that attempt was foiled by troops.

Army effectively replied the shelling and beat-back Pakistani attack. Casualties were also suspected on the other side in retaliatory firing by army. However, there were no details of casualties as well as damage caused to enemy bunkers, the sources said.

Exchange of firing between Indo-Pak troops was also reported from several other posts on the LoC in both Rajouri and Poonch sectors but no loss was reported from these posts.

Pak troops also continued small arms firing on the IB in Jammu and Kathua districts overnight. Posts targeted by Pak army were Regal, Manga Chak, Dulma Chak and Sadhey Chak in Kathua, Pindi, Pital Post, Jabowal, Kot Kuba, Zero Point, SH Way, Budhwar, Sangral, Mangral, Abdullian, Korotona Khurd, Gharana, Joura Farm, Khatmarian, Kanachak, Suchetgarh, Kullian, Gallar, Faqira Chak, Jandral, Fartwal, Chambalayal, SM Pur, Nanga and Nariyan in Jammu district.

There was no report of any damage on Indian side in the cross-firing.

Suri, Masood review situation

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Nov 12: Director General of Police, Mr. A.K.Suri visited the Railway Station here today and took stock of security arrangements. He was accompanied by IGP Crime & Railways Mr Masood Chowdhary.

Besides ticket counters, waiting halls and parking lots, he also had a round of railway platform. He directed the railway security functionaries to be extra vigilant and asked them to carry thorough checking of baggages and other goods. He asked them to keep a close watch on all incoming and outgoing people at the Railway Station.

The DGP also inspected police station there and interacted with the staff. He also issued instructions for the construction of barracks for the accommodation of additional force at Railway Station.

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