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‘Troops
won’t withdraw till terrorism stops’ PATHANKOT, Feb 6: A day after Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s strident rhetoric in Pak-occupied Kashmir Assembly, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today bluntly told Islamabad to stop dreaming about Kashmir making it clear that it cannot get the Valley. "Yesterday, Pakistan has observed Kashmir Divas (day). How long they will have to observe this? by observing Kashmir Divas, they are not going to get Kashmir. You will not get Kashmir. Faisla Ho Chuka Hai (the decision has been made)," Vajpayee told a largely-attended election meetings for BJP-Akali Dal candidates in the border town of Ferozepur and Pathankot in Punjab. The Prime Minister said the troops have been massed on the border not to attack but ruled out their withdrawal until Pakistan stopped export of terrorism to India. "Troops are stationed on the border not for waging a war but for self-defence. Troops will be returned only when Pakistan stops aiding and abetting terrorist activities from its soil and then only there is possibility of resumption of talks," he said. Vajpayee said though India had initiated several steps for peaceful resolution of bilateral issues, including Kashmir, these were rewarded in the form of Kargil intrusion. "Pakistan broke India’s trust. If Pakistan wants any improvement in its relations with India, it must regain India’s trust," he said. Stating that Musharraf was obsessed only with Kashmir issue, Vajpayee said it was for Musharraf to say whether there were other issues like trade, commerce and culture. Referring to Musharraf’s demand to free Kashmir, the Prime Minister asked "with whose permission is Pakistan occupying a portion of Kashmir?" Assailing Musharraf’s dubbing of terrorism in Kashmir as "freedom struggle", he asked "is killing innocent people and children freedom struggle?" Vajpayee said Pakistan is trying to solve the Kashmir issue by using arms and for the 60 years it has been trying to get Kashmir by dividing communities. He said Kashmir became an integral and inseparable part of India as per the choice of the people. "The whole world knows that Kashmir became an integral part of India by the will of the people." Vajpayee said Pakistan wants Kashmir on the ground that the State has more Muslims being oblivious of the fact that the Muslim population in India is much more than the population of Pakistan. Vajpayee said certain forces instigated by Pakistan tried to capture Kashmir but the people of Kashmir decided to live in India. Russia supported the cause of India when it took the Kashmir issue to the UN Security Council. Vajpayee said India’s overall condition is much better than Pakistan but it has to be improved further. While we were talking of friendship and peace in Lahore, an attack on Kargil was being planned, he said. "I invited Musharraf to Agra, but the talks failed due to the adamant attitude of the General because he had nothing but Kashmir in his mind", Vajpayee said There were a lot of other issues to be discussed but Musharraf was harping only on Kashmir, he said. The Prime Minister said "we are defending our people and territory. We do not want any war, but if need arises we will not hesitate in taking any step to save ourself." Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir was an inseparable part of the country, he said when the British left, the people of Kashmir were given a choice and they selected India following which Pakistan sent "Kabailis" (raiders) to attack the State which was repulsed by the Indian Army. Vajpayee said while elections are soon going to be held in Jammu and Kashmir where people will chose their Government, there has been no election in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan. Whenever there is a change of Government in Pakistan the Prime Minister is either sent to jail or goes out of the country but in India we have four former Prime Ministers who gracefully stepped down, he said. The Prime Minister said India is a democratic country with diversities but at the time of external aggression it had always stood as one dissolving all the differences. Lashing out at the Congress, Vajpayee said during the 40-year rule of the party Punjab made no progress but in the last five years of SAD-BJP rule there has been tremendous development. Referring to Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s reported remark that the NDA Government was cheating the people he said "I do not understand whether I should react or keep quite. She is giving very funny statements." The Prime Minister said we sat in the opposition for 40 years and did not compromise on principles, similarly the Congress, which has lost mandate, should play the role of a constructive opposition. Vajpayee said when he became the Prime Minister it was said that the Government will not last long but "Sarkar Chal Nahin Daur Rahi Hai" (Government is not working but running at a fast pace). Congratulating Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for successfully completing his five years tenure, he said various development works undertaken by the SAD-BJP Government were in front of the people. Whenever Badal came to the Centre seeking assistance, he was given, Vajpayee said adding that Punjab will continue to get assistance from the Centre for developmental works. He exhorted the people to once again repose faith in the SAD-BJP regime for growth, prosperity and development. Praising the people of Punjab, Vajpayee said being close to the border they faced aggression and bore the brunt of terrorism but they emerged out of it with courage and now an atmosphere of peace and harmony prevails in the State. He asked farmers in the State to diversify to other crops like pulses and oilseeds which presently have to be imported. To tackle the problem of unemployment, he said there should be investment in infrastructure which would generate job opportunities. The Prime Minister was presented with a "siropa" (robe of honour) at the meeting by local MP Zora Singh Mann. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who welcomed Vajpayee, regretted he could not be on the dais with him due to an injury he suffered sometime back. During day-long tour of the State, the Prime Minister is scheduled to address another election meeting at Pathankot. Both Ferozepur and Pathankot in Gurdaspur district are located close to the Indo-Pak border. (PTI) |
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Jaish ‘distt commdr’ among 5 Pak ultras killed Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Feb 6: In a joint operation, Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu & Kashmir Police have wiped out a 5-member group of Pakistani militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Kupwara today. Informed sources in north Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that a joint ambush of SOG Kupwara’s Javed Kawa group and Rashtriya Rifles 32 Bn noticed the movement of a heavily armed group of Pakistani militants in Khorhi Wawora forest cover of Lolab, early this morning. Troops initiated the gunbattle which lasted for one hour. All the five militants of the group were killed without collateral damage. Six AK-56 rifles, two pistols, two wireless sets and a number of grenades and UBGLs were recovered from the site of the encounter. With the help of radio intercepts and the documents recovered from the spot, the militants killed in the clash were identified as Abu Naasir, Abu Sufyan, Abu Khalid, Abu Maajid and Abu Talaha. Official sources claimed that Abu Naasir was Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit’s "district commander" in Kupwara while as his associates were suicide cadres of the organisation. All of them, according to official sources, were from Punjab province of Pakistan. Jaish suffered today’s setback after the elimination of an equally strong group of militants in Lolab valley last month. Around the same time, a joint patrol of SOG Kupwara, 1/9 GR and 10-Madras spotted the movement of a thick group of militants in Nutnusa forest area of Kupwara district. Exchange of gunfire continued for about two hours. However, all the militants of the group — about 15 in number — managed to escape without suffering any damage. Reports from south Kashmir said that during last night, unidentified gunmen appeared at Mohammadpora in Kulgam area and fired upon one Nazir Ahmed Dar. With critical injuries, he was rushed by his family to a hospital. |
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Top ultra got Pakistani
visa on APHC chit By Sanjeev Pargal JAMMU, Feb 6: The State Intelligence agencies have come across a very ‘conclusive evidence’ linking a top leader of All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) with a hardcore militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit. The Lashkar militant, who was presently in the judicial lock-up alongwith a Government official (a Forester) and two other ultras of Farooq Rehmani’s People’s League outfit, has made ‘very important’ and ‘sensational’ disclosures during his interrogation by the Intelligence agencies. The disclosures were ‘sufficient’ to link the pro-Pakistan and fundamentalist Hurriyat leader with the LeT, official sources in the Intelligence agencies told EXCELSIOR. They identified the arrested militant as Farooq Ahmed, who hailed from Bandipore village of Baramulla district and the Forester as Haji Ghulam Ahmed, also a resident of Bandipore and posted in Srinagar at the time of his arrest. Presently, the Forester was under suspension and facing trial in the judicial lock-up. Two other militants, arrested by the Intelligence agencies, were Ayub Ahmed of Bandipore and Habibullah of Srinagar. Habibullah was an old man and his role was confined to providing overground assistance to the militants. While Farooq Ahmed and Haji Ghulam Ahmed were affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit, Ayub and Habibullah had links with People’s League supremo Farooq Rehmani, who was presently operating from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). Sources said Farooq Ahmed was arrested by a special team of the Intelligence agencies from near the Jammu Airport sometime back when he was about to board an Indian Airlines flight for New Delhi to get the connecting flight to Islamabad. Farooq was in possession of a valid passport and Pakistani visa despite the fact that he was a hardcore Lashkar cadre and had participated in several actions against the army in Srinagar and Baramulla districts of the Kashmir valley. Farooq Ahmed, arrested on a specific tip off, was subjected to sustained interrogation, where he confessed his links with the APHC leader. Infact, Farooq had been issued the visa by Pakistani embassy on the recommendations of the Hurriyat leader while the passport in his possession had been managed by the Forester. Sources said the Lashkar leadership of the Kashmir valley wanted to depute Farooq Ahmed to Pakistan on an ‘important mission’. Since he had injured his leg in one of the operations against the security forces in Baramulla, he was unable to cross over to Pakistan through the Line of Control (LoC). The LeT leadership utilised the services of its over-ground worker in the Forest Department Haji Ghulam Ahmed in procuring a passport for Farooq Ahmed. The Forester with the help of Ayub Ahmed stole the passport of one Nazir Ahmed, also a resident of Bandipore, who had died few days back, the sources said. The duo then proceeded to Bangalore where they tampered the passport with the help of a sophisticated electronic equipment by replacing Nazir Ahmed’s photograph with that of Farooq Ahmed. And for securing visa, the outfit took the services of Hurriyat leader, they said. This particular Hurriyat leader, whose chit is taken as an order in Pakistan’s embassy, obliged Farooq Ahmed despite knowing well that he was a hardcore militant of LeT outfit having his involvement in a series of subversive activities including the killings and action against the security personnel across Kashmir valley. The Hurriyat leader also knew that the passport in the possession of Farooq was tampered. He was also aware of the fact that Farooq Ahmed had been to Pakistan thrice (breaching the LoC) for training and bringing the consignments of sophisticated weaponry to the Valley. The chit helped and Farooq Ahmed was given visa by Pakistan’s embassy in no time. According to sources, the Intelligence agencies succeeded in getting an ‘advance information’ of Farooq Ahmed’s visit to Pakistan and laid a trap for him. Farooq was apprehended and the tampered passport and Pakistani visa besides some other ‘important documents’ were recovered from his possession. Subsequently, the interrogation of Farooq Ahmed led to the arrest of Forester Haji Ghulam Ahmed and two other militants Habibullah and Ayub Ahmed, the sources said, adding all of them have been sent to the judicial lock-up and a challan presented against them in the Session Court. The sources said Farooq Ahmed also made ‘very important’ disclosures regarding the Hurriyat Conference leader’s links with the LeT outfit but declined to share them. Asked why the Hurriyat leader was not arrested when there was an evidence to link him with the militant outfit, the sources gave no answer. |
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Gen Musharraf will have to regret his speech: Farooq NEW DELHI, Feb 6: Terming the speech of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf as "unfortunate" and far from truth, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today said that Musharraf would have to regret his yesterday’s speech. "Immediately after his (Musharraf) January 12 address to the nation, I had made it clear that he should not be trusted as he had been issuing sermons and making claims but practising none. Every speech is miles away far from the truth," Abdullah told PTI in an interview. The Chief Minister made it clear that Pakistan should stop harping on Kashmir and spare the people of the State as they (Pakistan) had inflicted enough miseries on them during the last 12 years. Ridiculing Musharraf’s demand for third-party mediation on the Kashmir issue, he said "no mediator can bridge the gap until and unless Pakistan takes a step forward to build confidence." "Eversince the inception of Pakistan, India has only seen mistrust and a bunch of lies from Pakistan. I think Musharraf needs a mediator to understand the language of international community which has been against any support to terrorism," Abdullah said. Terming as "unfortunate" his support to Kashmir militants, the Chief Minister said "Musharraf will have to regret his statement as the world community has already started taking it seriously." The Chief Minister said that it was unfortunate that no one close to Musharraf was well conversant with English. "The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan made it clear during his recent visit there that UN resolutions on Kashmir had lost relevance. Other international community members had also made it clear time and again that bilateral talks would alone be successful. I think they are unable to understand it," Abdullah said. He said that Pakistan was hell bent upon inflicting more wounds on Kashmiris while "we have been trying to nurse them for so many years." "Pakistan calls itself an Islamic state but unfortunately does not even practise the basic commands of the almighty which says do good to your neighbour," he said and added that "I dont know when Pakistan will understand the language of love." Referring to the threat that Pakistan would use all resources in case a war broke out between India and Pakistan, he said "read history. See as and when Pakistan tried to hurt us, it had to bite the dust. But this time if a war broke we would leave them red-faced." (PTI) |
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JeM leader emerges key suspect in Pearl case ISLAMABAD, Feb 6: Banned militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed’s leader Sheikh Omar Saeed, one of the three JeM ultras released by India to end the Kandahar hijacking crisis, has emerged as the ring leader in the abduction of US journalist Daniel Pearl, who has been missing for nearly three weeks. Pakistani investigators have said that Saeed was a key suspect along with an unnamed person. The JeM militant was released to end the Kandahar hijacking drama. This followed interrogation of three militants arrested in connection with the kidnapping of the Wall Street Journal reporter. "We’re better able now to clarify who’s on first, who’s on second," the official said. When interrogated by police, the three ultras said the photograph of Pearl sent along with the e-mails were given to them by Omar, daily ‘Dawn’ reported. Quoting sources, it said, the police picked up the militants - Fawad and Salman - from Karachi while the name of the third person could not be ascertained. The three men were said to have been working as an intermediary between the US journalist and militant outfits. Pearl had reportedly interviewed members of militant groups through these men and they had helped him in reportage. "We are very very close to solving this case," Home Secretary of the provincial Sindh Government, Mukhtar Ahmed Shah, told reporters adding, it "could be today or tomorrow. In any case very soon." Saeed, also known as Sheikh, was released along with JeM chief, Maulana Masood Azhar, in Kandahar during the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane from Kathmandu. Omar is also wanted by US for his links with Al Qaeda. Another daily ‘The Nation’ reported that the kidnapping of Pearl may end "in a day or two" as police has closed in on the gang that had abducted Pearl. Two prime suspects, who had sent the earlier two e-mails with Pearl’s pictures, have been arrested by the joint Pak-US probe team and the computers, scanner used by them have been recovered, it said. Meanwhile, CNN quoted a senior State Department official as saying "we are very optimistic. We think he (Pearl) is still alive". Pearl, 38, was abducted on Jan 23 while on his way to interview Sheikh Mubarik Ali Gilani, the head of the fundamentalist Islamic Jamaat ul-Fuqra group, about possible ties the group had with Richard Reid, the alleged shoe bomber held in US. Meanwhile, reports from London said that Saeed was educated at the Forest School in Snaresbrook, where Nasser Hussain, the England cricket captain, was a contemporary. Sheikh, 27, who was both in Wanstead, East London, is also a former student of the London School of Economics, daily The Times said. The report also said that out of the three Saeed’s accomplices arrested in Karachi yesterday, one is understood to be related to him. Fawad and Suleman are also believed to be linked to JeM. Sheikh came to prominence in 1994 when he was shot as he was captured with members of a Kashmiri militant group, Al Faran that had abducted British tourists in India. (PTI) |
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US, India review co-operation against terrorist financing NEW DELHI, Feb 6: United States wants India and Pakistan to join the "Egmont" treaty which entails member countries to share financial information to effectively crack down on funding of terrorist activities. A senior US official told reporters here that there were already 58 or 59 member countries to the agreement signed in Brussles in 1995 and US was of the view that more countries like India and Pakistan should join to step-up the "war against terrorism". Besides there was also another sub-treaty called FATAC financial investigation task force, of which 29 countries are members, he said suggesting countries in the region should join it as well to block funding of terrorism. Earlier, unveiling a six-point agenda of cooperation to track down funding of terrorist activities, US Deputy Treasury Secretary Kenneth Dam said efforts against hawala has to be redoubled besides encouraging independent notification of terrorist groups by other nations. Dam, who had a meeting with Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha here, said there was need for more information sharing and increased efforts by US and allied nations against charities, particularly the role of donors. "We hope to use the financial investigation to track down the ticking time bombs or sleeper cells that President Bush mentioned in his recent state of the union address. These are not challenges specific to India, rather these challenges faces the global community of nations," he said. Terrorist financing "is a challenge that is important for the United States, the subcontinent and throughout the globe," Dam said, adding "cooperation is key to winning the war against terrorism and India is among the 147 nations that have blocked accounts in cooperation with the United States. "But there is more we need to do together," he said emphasising that among our challenges are doing a better job of exploiting the industrial quantity of documents captured in Afghanistan and elsewhere. He also expressed satisfaction over the steps India and Pakistan have taken so far in curbing terrorist financing. Asked what role US could play in curbing terrorist financing in the region in the light of crossborder terrorism, Dam said " I believe all countries including India and Pakistan have interest in tracking down terrorist financing and United States will encourage all countries in this regard. Dam also thanked India for its assistance in the financial war against terrorism. "I personally thanked Finance Minister Sinha for India’s role in the financial war against terrorism" Sinha incidentally "well versed on the issue and we discussed some of the challenges the civilised world faces to shut off the flow of money to terrorists. I was very pleased with our meeting." Dam, who has been assigned by Bush the task of looking into domestic and international sources of terrorist financing, termed one-hour long meeting with Sinha as "extremely positive". Interestingly, the visit of the delegation to India was earlier scheduled to begin on September 11, the day terrorists attacked the World Trade Centre in New York. (PTI) |
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India, Russia discuss partnership in weapons system NEW DELHI, Feb 6: Aiming at a strategic partnership in developing futuristic weapons systems, India and Russia today opened three days of high level talks here that could pave the way for an agreement to get advanced armaments like AWACS surveillance aircraft and nuclear submarines and long range maritime bomberson lease. Simultaneously, with a view to overcoming shortages in spares and ammunition of some critical weapons systems, India is also pressing for rapid implementation of the Putin decree enabling New Delhi to buy directly from original equipment makers in Russia, bypassing middlemen. Emerging after his almost hour-long meeting with Defence Minister George Fernandes, the visiting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Illya Klebanov said Moscow aims at strategic partnership with India in its programme for development of futuristic weapons. "Russia is willing to go beyond the sale and lease of hi-tech weapons", he said adding he has come to New Delhi with "new proposals" for long term strategic partnership in joint development and production of fifth generation weapons. Klebanov and Fernandes, who are co-chairmen, opened the session of the inter-Governmental commission on military-technical cooperation which is likely to take up the issue of Moscow leasing out two nuclear submarines and four long range Tu-22m3 maritime reconnaissance aircraft. "The three day meeting will discuss various bilateral defence issues at the level of working groups and their sub-groups", an official announcement said. "We will give top priority in discussions to collaboration in high technology armament systems. We will also discuss joint production, development and marketing of weapons systems", Klebanov said. An official release said "Fernandes and Klebanov had discussed strategic relations between the two countries, matters of mutual interest and defence cooperation". Though tightlipped about leasing of nuclear submarines with capability of firing cruise missiles on land based targets and Tu-22m3 nuclear capable long range maritime bomber, a Defence Ministry spokesman said a large number of acquisitions from Russia, including aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov would be under discussion. He listed other weapons system to figure in negotiations as conventional Amur submarines, proposal on AWACS, to mount an Israeli Phalcon radar on an Il-76 aircraft frame, advanced Mi-17 helicopters and Smerch multi-barrel rocket launchers. "The procurement of spares for Russian equipment with the Indian armed forces co-design, development and production of a 100 seater multi-role transport aircraft and development of fifth generation fighters" would also come up, the spokesman said. Besides Fernandes, the Indian delegation to the commission meeting includes the Defence Secretary Yogendera Narain, Secretary Defence Production Subir Dutta and senior officials from the three Services and the Defence Ministry. The Russian side at the talks include top officers from the Russian army general staff, commanders of Navy and Air Force as well as top officials from the major Russian armament the Rosoborone Weapons Trading Company. The Indian navy is looking at leasing two Akula (bars)-class type 971 nuclear (SSBN) submarines for a period of five years, which will give it capability of maintaining strong presence both in the Persian Gulf region as well as in the east to counter increased Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal. If the terms of lease are approved during the current round of negotiations, the submarines are expected to enter Indian navy service by later next year. Naval officials said that navy had kept track of operating nuclear submarines even after returning the earlier Russian leased out INS Chakra in 1988. The leasing of Akula submarines would give breathing space to Navy’s own ambitious programme to build an Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), as the nuclear submarine programme is codenamed, which, according to highly placed sources, was facing some technological problems. The four Tu-22m3 long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, the sources said would also be leased for five years to enable the navy to get its Russian acquired Tu-154 and Il-68 upgraded in Russia. (PTI) |
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Inter-State smugglers gang busted Excelsior Correspondent KATHUA, Feb 6: With the arrest of three persons, Kathua Police claims to have busted an inter-state gane of smugglers. Giving details, a police spokesman said that on September 20, 2001 one Satish Chander Mishra, Branch Manager, Transport Corporation of India Ltd and Ram Rattan, Branch Manager New Suraj Transport Company, Kathua lodged a written report with Police Post Industrial Estate to the effect that on August 28, 2001 M/s Chenab Textile Mills Kathua demanded two trucks to carry 251 packages of P V Yarn valuing Rs 22 lakh approximately from CTM Kathua to M/s Prem Parkash Synthetics Maharashtra, Sai Kripa Synthetics Tarapur and Narain Synthetic Tarapur and their Biwandi Depot. On this both the above said transport companies arranged two trucks bearing registration numbers HR-29/2974 and HR-29/2978 respectively. After checking all the relevant documents of both the lorries and after undertaking given by the drivers of the above said trucks through lorry hire contract and lorry hire challan both the transport companies loaded 130 packages of yarn in lorry number HR-29-2974 on August 28, 2001 and 121 packages in lorry number HR-29-2978 on August 28, 2001 for their respective destinations. But the trucks didn’t reach their restination and on this case was registered at Kathua Police Station and investigation was entrusted to Incharge PP Industrial Estate Kathua. During sustained interrogation accused Raj Kumar gave some vital clues regarding other accused persons and police arrested Jagbir Singh alias Pappu, son of Gurcharan Singh of Pandori in Anjala district of Amritsar, Gurmaj Singh alias Gejja, son of Darshan Singh of Antarjami Colony, Amritsar and Hardeep Singh alias Disha, son of Jagbir Singh of village Ralaan. All the three accused persons on sustained interrogation disclosed that they alongwith Surinder Singh, son of Mohan Singh of Height Market, GT Road, Amritsar and Harish Sharma, son of Chuni Lal of Fatehgunj Colony, Ludhiana with criminal conspiracy managed to load yarn from CTM Kathua by producing fake documents and fake registration number of the trucks to misappropriate the yarn. The said persons further stated that all the loaded material weighing about 18 tonne was delivered to Harish Sharma, son of Chuni Lal of Ludhiana for further disposal as per the planning. Accused Harish Sharma alongwith his nephew namely Sushil Kumar, son of Ravinder Kumar of Fatehgunj and with his other associates managed to sell the embazelled yarn at Ludhiana and Amritsar. On the disclosure of drivers of above mentioned trucks, both the trucks were seized from Amritsar and Ludhiana. At that time both the trucks were found displaying forged registration numbers PB-06-3779 and HR-38A-8845. All the accused involved in the case have been arrested except one Harish Sharma who is absconding and is likely to be arrested within a day or two. |
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WASHINGTON, Feb 6: US law enforcement agencies are investigating whether a radical Muslim sect, Jamaat al-Fuqra, linked to Sheikh Mubarak Ali Shah Gilani, who was arrested recently in connection with the kidnapping of US reporter Daniel Pearl, is laundering money into Pakistan. Jamaat al-Fuqra, which has documented ties to international terrorism, is the focus of the probe, which includes the fraudulent procurement of social services money, authorities have told the Washington Times. "Al Fuqra has various broad schemes to take Government entitlement money and use it to fund terrorist activities. This money goes to Pakistan, to their leader. Our Government should be watchful because this is going on in our ownback yard," an investigator in Colorado, Susan Fenger said. Al-Fuqra is linked through court documents to Muslims of the Americas, a tax-exempt group established in the US in 1980 by Gilani. The group has set up and funded rural communes that federal authorities say are linked to murder, bombing and other felonies throughout the US and Canada. Al Fuqra is also suspected of ties to Richard Reid, the shoe bomber who tried to blow up a Paris to Miami jetliner on December 22. Muslims of the Americas operates communes of mostly black, American-born Muslims in Binghamton, New York; Badger California; York, South Carolina; and Red House, Virginia, law enforcement officials said. But there are also some non-Muslims in the group. The money laundering scheme in Virginia, officials said, is similar to a 101-acre Colorado operation that was shut down in 1993. Five Al-Fuqra members were convicted there of defrauding the Government of approximately 350,000 dollars through bogus workers’ compensation claims. Doug Wamsley, a deputy district attorney in Jeferson county, Colorado, who participated in raiding the 101-acre commune in Colorado, said the initial search of the commune turned up bombs, weapons and plans for terrorist atacks. "When we executed our search warrants," he said, "we found a cave with 30 firearms in it. Most of those firearms were military knockoffs, like AK-47s. We also found ammunition—6000 rounds." Last fall, Vicente Pierre, a former resident of the Colorado compound, was convicted of firearms violations. During a September detention hearing for Pierre, Tom Gallagher, special agent for the bureau of alcohol, tobacco and firearms, said Al-Fuqra is a "violent black Muslim extremist sect that acts out Jihad against perceived enemies—Hindus, members of the US, people they feel have jewish ties." (PTI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Feb 6: Troops eliminated two hardcore foreign mercenaries in Keri sector late this evening. The terrorists, whose identity hadn’t been established, were killed near the Line of Control (LoC) but it couldn’t be ascertained immediately as to whether they were infiltrators or were generally heading to a village. Official sources said army have intensified searches in Keri sector in anticipation of more terrorists’ movement in the area. Two AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, 240 rounds, 15 hand grenades and one radio set were recovered from the scene of encounter, the sources said. |
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Stage set for Omar to take over as NC president NEW DELHI, Feb 6: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today announced that Union Minister of State for External Affairs and his son Omar Abdullah would take over the presidentship of the ruling National Conference from him. "Yes, he will be taking over from me during the convention of the party to be held soon," replied Abdullah when asked about the reports suggesting his stepping down as National Conference president. Asked whether disgruntled elements in his party would allow a smooth transfer of power, Abdullah said "I have not mooted the proposal. He as a worker has been quite popular with the party cadre." "The party’s senior, middle and junior level leaders have been pressurising me to hand over the presidentship of the party to Omar," Abdullah told PTI in an interview. The Chief Minister said that the junior Abdullah had contributed a lot for the people of the State which included setting up of a software technology park. Asked whether Omar would eventually take over as the Chief Minister as well, he said "this will be decided only through elections." "However, no decision has been taken whether Omar will contest the forthcoming Assembly elections or not," the Chief Minister said. (PTI) |
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Sonia a foreign woman, Cong sinking: Atal PATHANKOT, Feb 6: Terming her as a "foreign woman", Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today made a blistering attack on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and said her party was "sinking". Making a sarcastic reference to Gandhi, he said "she is a woman and that too a foreign woman. It is natural and necessary to respect her. But the way she delivers her speech, I break my head over it." Addressing an election meeting here, Vajpayee said "I start worrying about the future of Congress and not about the future of the country. The country’s future is secure and safe and Congress is about to be wiped out." Criticising Congress for raking up the purchase of coffins for Kargil martyrs, he said the main opposition party should not make it an election issue affecting the morale of the soldiers. "Yeh Rajniti Nahi hai. Yeh Ghatia Kisam Ke Vyavhar Ki Padhatti Hai (this is not politics. This is a reflection of bad behaviour)," Vajpayee said referring to Gandhi’s comments. Stating that Government had for the first time decided to buy coffins to carry the bodies of soldiers martyred during the Kargil conflict so that their kith and kin could have a last glimpse, Vajpayee regretted this has now become a discussion point. If there was any such issue, it should be first inquired into rather than rushing to the media, he said, adding Government was not hiding anything on the issue. The opposition was raising the issue to defame Defence Minister George Fernandes who was "a patriot and not bothered about position," Vajpayee said. (PTI) |
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Govt to relax rules for return of Pak nationals NEW DELHI, Feb 6: Government today decided to relax the present rules to allow Pakistani nationals, presently in India, safe passage to go back home. Keeping in view the difficulties faced by Pakistani nationals in returning to their country due to suspension of rail, bus and air services with effect from January one, 2002, the Government has decided to allow Pakistani nationals staying in India to leave the country through any authorised check-post by rail, bus or air, an official release said. It has been decided to permit them to cross over to Pakistan by land route at the Wagha road check post at Amritsar and instructions have been issued to this effect to all the State Governments and Union Territories. As per existing instructions, Pak-nationals enter and leave India only from ports of entry specified in their visa and normally exit is allowed from the port of entry only, the release added. (PTI) |
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