Student, 2 militants among 6 killed; 60 injured in blasts
Holed up militants hold 8 civilians hostage

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 20: While as a group of holed up militants has held hostage at least eight civilians in Thiarina village in Pulwama district today, militants have left two civilians dead and 60 wounded in two grenade blasts in Kashmir valley. Besides, two militants and a civilian have died in another gunbattle in Pulwama district and militants have shot dead a 13-year-old student in Kupwara district.

Informed sources in south Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that Special Operations Group of District Police and CRPF 69th Bn launched a cordon-and-search operation at Thiarina village, in Rajpora-Shopian belt, early in the morning today. According to a specific information, four to six heavily armed militants were present at a hideout. As the security forces directed all the residents to assemble at a particular place for identification, militants held three members of their host’s family on gunpoint. Later, forces sent in five more civilians with the message that militants should lay down arms and come out of the house without their weapons and clothes. However, they too were held hostage by the militants. For the whole day, senior Police and security forces officials made several attempts to rescue the civilians but failed.

Late night reports said that troops of the Balpora camp of Rashtriya Rifles 44th Bn and a unit of Army’s 10 Para were also being prepared to join the operation. Officials said that SP Pulwama and Commanding Officer of CRPF 69th Bn were personally supervising the rescue operation. They said that every possible effort would be made to evacuate the civilians and take on the militants only after they are isolated from the captives.

Sources said that BSF 8th and 9th Bn and Police and SOG Pulwama conducted a cordon-and-search operation at Muran in northern outskirts of Pulwama district headquarters today. According to the tip-off, a group of Jaish-e-Mohammad militants was present at the house of one Bashir Ahmed Wani. During the operation, troops destroyed the target house, killing two militants and a civilian. One of the two militants killed in the gunbattle has been identified as Rashid alias Aadil S/o Mohammad Ayub, resident of Karachi, Pakistan. Officials confirmed that two BSF personnel sustained injuries.

Reports from Bandipore said that a group of militants and security forces locked horns in a fierce gunbattle in Malikhama forest area early this morning. Exchange of gunfire continued for the whole day. Unconfirmed reports said that two militants got killed in the operation this evening. Officials, however, said that the armed clash was in progress at midnight and details of casualties, if any, would be available on Tuesday only.

2 killed, 60

injured in blasts

Here in the capital city, an unidentified person, widely believed to be a militant, lobbed a hand grenade in the direction of a security forces’ vehicle at the crowded Batmaloo Bus Stand at 1515 hours today. As happens often, it missed the apparent target and exploded on road. As many as 51 civilians sustained splinter injuries. Most of them were rushed to hospitals. Later, a critically wounded civilian breathed his last. He was identified as Abdur Rasheed Sheikh S/o Wali Mohammad Sheikh R/o Saimoh, Tral.

SSP Srinagar, Syed Javed Mujtaba Gillani, confirmed the death of one civilian but insisted that only 37 persons reported with injuries. The injured were under treatment at SMHS Hospital, SKIMS and Bone & Joint Hospital of Barzulla. A 4-year-old child, Basit Iqbal of Dolipora, Pulwama was described as very critical this evening.

Like Sheikh, almost all the injured were commuters from the countryside who were on way to catch their return services. Most of the injured were from Pulwama, Budgam, Anantnag and Baramulla districts. Since no individual or organisation has owned up such blasts in which civilians only become the casualties in Kashmir since 1988, nobody has claimed responsibility for today’s explosion.

Two hours after the Batmaloo blast, an unidentified person, believed to be a militant, tossed a hand grenade in the direction of a paramilitary picket near Punjab National Bank at Anantnag. It also missed the intended target and exploded on road. In all, nine civilians sustained splinter injuries. One of them, namely Mohammad Yusuf Wagay S/o Abdul Ahad Wagay R/o Bamdora, Kokernag, succumbed to injuries. Six of the injured civilians were rushed to District Hospital Anantnag and given medical treatment.

Reports from Kupwara said that during last night, militants barged into the residence of one Wali Mohammed Mir at Punzwa, Vilgam, and kidnapped his 13-year-old son, Zubair Ahmed Mir. He was shot dead at a deserted place. His bullet-riddled body was recovered today. Zubair was a class 7th student.

More NC leaders to be prosecuted: Baig

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20: Some more Ministers in previous Farooq Abdullah Government are likely to be prosecuted in corruption cases very soon, as the State Vigilance Organisation has sought Governor’s permission for the same.

This was disclosed by Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Muzaffar Hussain Baig during an informal chat with some mediapersons, here today.

"There are fully prepared cases against some Ministers in previous National Conference Government which are ready for prosecution and the only thing we need is Governor’s permission," he said but refused to divulge names of the former Ministers and leaders to be prosecuted.

Mr Baig also refuted National Conference president Omar Abdullah’s allegations that initiating of Vigilance inquiries against NC leaders was ‘witch hunting’ and political vendetta and said that State Vigilance Organisation was an autonomous body and the Government could neither direct it for initiating a case nor ask for withdrawing the same against anyone.

"If the Government really wanted to do ‘witch hunting’, most of NC leaders would have been in jails," he quipped adding that in that case the process would have been started from the top most.

However, the Finance Minister added, if Vigilance Commissioner Mr R V Raju, who is well known for his honesty and independent style of working, frames charges against any person including a former Minister he can go ahead with further investigations.

"But the NC leaders don’t want even investigations against them and are accusing the coalition Government of witch-hunting," he said, while remarking that if no case is to be investigated then the Vigilance Organisation should be disbanded which the Government can not do.

To a question, Mr Baig claimed that financial implications were the only reasons behind delay in implementation of Wazir Commission report.

"There is no political hitch in implementation of the Wazir Commission recommendations but only financial implications as huge infrastructures have to be generated for creation of four to five districts and 20 tehsils," he explained.

The Finance Minister said that J&K Government was already tightening its belt as all States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Union Government to cut short their expenditures upto minimum five per cent.

"However, once our financial position permits us, the Wazir Commission recommendations shall be implemented as the coalition Government is committed to its Common Minimum Programme (CMP), said Mr Baig.

Scoffing at Omar Abdullah’s challenge to coalition Government to dissolve the State Assembly and call for fresh elections, the senior PDP Minister, claimed that it was NC not PDP which refrained from facing Srinagar civil polls.

"We had already declared election dates but it were NC’s Dr Mehboob Beig and Abdul Qayoom who approached Mufti Sahib seeking postponement of Srinagar Municipal polls till ending of holy Ramzan " he disclosed and added," our Government is stable and we don’t have any reason to ask for dissolution of the Assembly. However, we can’t stop them of raising such demands, he said.

Mr Baig also claimed that Omar Abdullah was making such statements in utter frustration as he could not succeed in getting his any MLA resigned for facilitating his elections to the Lower House. "He tried MLA Poonch, MLA Gurez, MLA Sonawari and others but no one responded to his offer," the PDP leader claimed.

Citing the reason for inordinate delay in commissioning of much talked State Accountability Commission, the Law Minister explained that in view of its being teethless, no former Judge of the Supreme Court or High Court has so far agreed to head it.

However, he added, the State Government is in touch with three former Judges who are being persuaded for the post and two of them have given positive response.

Rejecting former Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather’s accusation against Mufti Government for bringing Transfer of Property Act Ordinance according to which a non-State subjectee can acquire property in J&K, Mr Baig clarified that their was nothing objectionable in the Ordinance.

"Unlike previous Farooq Government we did not agree to mortgage salaries of State Government employees for a loan for Baghliar Power Project but got finances from Central Government with only condition that if in unlike conditions, we are not able to return the money, they can take over the project," he explained. Further, there is no question of transferring State property to a non-State subjectee as the Government of India already has this power under Article 264 of the Constitution, he added.

Mehbooba re-constitutes PDP

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 20: To strengthen the party at grass-root level, president of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti today reconstituted state unit of the party.

Former Minister Rangil Singh has been appointed as senior vice-president of the party while Master Tassadiq Hussain and Aga Syed Mahmood were appointed as vice-presidents. Rangil Singh and Aga Sayed Mahmood have joined PDP some months back after resigning from National Conference. Master Tassadiq Hussain is one of the founder members of the PDP who was already general secretary of the party.

Tariq Hameed Karra, Bilal Ahmed Lodhi, Dhaman Bhasin, Sona Ullah Dar, Mohammed Sharief Tariq and Romesh Motton are new general secretaries of the party. Former Minister Mohammed Sharif Tariq has joined PDP some months back after resigning from National Conference while Romesh Motton, a Scheduled Caste leader, who had contested Assembly election on NCP ticket from R S Pura, has joined the party recently.

Dhaman Bhasin, who was state secretary of the party, has been promoted as general secretary while Tariq Hammed Karra is already serving the party on same post. Bilal Ahmed Lodhi is also promoted to the rank general secretary.

Ms Mufti also nominated new state secretaries of the party. Peerzada Mohammed Hussain, Sadiq Ali, Abdul Haq, Murtaza Khan, Ashiq Hussain, Ashok Sharma and Ramesh Kaul are the new secretaries of the state unit.

Among the newly appointed state secretaries, Sadiq Ali was former minister and think tank of National Conference who has joined PDP some months back. Ashok Sharma was senior vice-president of the youth wing of the PDP. Murtaza Khan and Ashiq Hussain are already state secretaries of the party.

Basharat Bukhari has been appointed as chief spokesman of the party.

The spokesman of the PDP said that State Political Affairs Committee and executive committee of the party will be announced in due course of time.

In the previous unit of the party Trilok Singh Bajwa, Ved Mahajan, Master Tassadiq Hussain and Tariq Hammed Karra were general secretaries of the party. Names of Mr Bajwa, who is Rajya Sabha member and Ved Mahajan, who is Member of the Legislative Council, did not figure in the new unit.

Pak delegation in Jammu to inspect Baglihar

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20: A three-member Pakistani delegation today reached Ramban to inspect Baglihar project on the Indus river tomorrow. The team is visiting the project as per provisions in the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan.

The team led by Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Jamait Ali Shah, arrived at Jammu Airport through Indian Airlines flight at around 1230 hours. Accompained by three Indian officers of Union Ministry of Water Resources, the Pakistani team straightway went to Circuit House and at around 1300 hours left for Ramban, 169 kilometres from here.

Sources said that the visit of delegation of neighbouring country follows the objections raised by Pakistan that construction of Baglihar project impair water flow to its territory and to clear the doubts, the team will have an on spot inspection of project tomorrow morning.

The team, which arrived in the country from Wagah Border yesterday, would leave for New Delhi on October 22. The team will be back to its country next day.

Sources disclosed that Pakistan had pressed for inspection of the project at least half-a-dozen times since 1999 and it is for the first time that India has consented to let it be examined by a team of experts. The communication regarding the visit of delegation was sent to India last month, just ahead of the expiry of the notice period Pakistan gave it to fix the inspection dates and to stop work at the site untill the dispute was resolved or else it would approach the World Bank for appointment of neutral experts to look into it.

According to sources, in the last round of the Indus Waters Treaty Commission’s meeting in Delhi, Pakistan had objected to India continuing with construction of the dam despite its objections.

The bilateral water sharing treaty brokered by the World Bank in 1960 has withstood all crises between the two countries as the Commissions of both sides have regularly held half-yearly meetings even at times of war and diplomatic face-off after the terror strike on Parliament in December, 2001.

Pakistan is exploiting Article IX of the Treaty that permits World Bank intervention to settle any dispute that cannot be resolved bilaterally, the sources said.

India has been repeatedly pointing out to Pakistan that quantum of water flow in its territory would remain unaffected though there may be deviation of the route from which it gets water of the river Chenab.

Pakistan’s objection to the project is also that the dam would permit higher storage capacity to India beyond the limit set in the treaty and it would give powers to manipulate flow of water to create water shortage in Pakistan.

Fidayeen take drugs before terror attacks

NEW DELHI, Oct 20: In a startling revelation, suicide bombers or "fidayeen" are being given heavy doses of drugs to infuse them with courage and "take away the pain" before launching a terror attack on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, a US-based newspaper said today.

Quoting a senior State Police Official, the Christian Science Monitor said the well-armed Kashmiri militants, who have a tradition of fighting to death, have taken to smuggling of narcotics to pay for their violent activities.

"The militants get involved in narcotics for two main reasons... One is to give to their fighters during suicide attacks, to give them courage and to take away the pain. The second reason is fundraising. Narcotics are very profitable," said Manzoor Ahmed, the Police Chief of north Kashmir’s Bandipora area.

He said Kashmir’s growing narcotics trade was flourishing in areas where militants are most active. Narco-terrorism is posing serious security dangers in the Kashmir valley, he added.

"The militants get the pure white heroin in Pakistan, where it is cheap, about Rs 3,000 a kilo. And they smuggle it across the Valley, give it to their sympathisers and sell it down in Delhi or Mumbai," Mr Ahmed said.

Army and police officials told the Monitor that there was an enormous increase in the cultivation and transport of narcotics in the State over the past decade.

Quoting officials, it said "most worrisome was that the Kashmiri militant groups may soon have enough funds from narcotics to operate independently of their former patrons, Pakistan, which has officially banned and cut all ties to the 14-year insurgency that has killed hundreds of people so far."

"This is easy money for the militants, and they use it to fund their activities. In addition to that, foreign mercenaries use it," Defence Spokesman in Srinagar Lt Col Mukhtiar Singh told the newspaper.

The officials admitted that they have no way to measure how much opium is coming into the State, since police catch only those consignments about which they have prior information.

But since many of these heroin packs are confiscated in districts along the Line of Control, where opium cultivation is not common, police officials said the evidence points to the heroin being smuggled in from Pakistan.

The officials said many of the packages captured bear the phrase "made in Afghanistan" written in Farsi (Persian).

"It’s a brand name, because the name Afghanistan sells. We don’t know if it actually comes from Afghanistan, but it does come from outside the State, because we catch it in areas where opium is not grown," a senior police official at Baramulla District Headquarters said.

The Monitor said there was reason to believe that some Afghan heroin has been coming to Kashmir, if only because instability and good rains have allowed Afghanistan to retake its position of the world’s number one source of opium.

Kashmir’s close location to Afghanistan and its wide swaths of lawless territory make it an ideal transport route, it added.

But even without an outside source, Kashmir would be awash in narcotics, the newspaper said.

In July, custom agents in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir discovered an astounding 555 acres of opium poppies, with a potential yield of 10,000 Kg of opium, the Monitor said, adding that this amount of raw opium would be worth about 2 million inside Kashmir in international markets, once this is processed into heroin, it would be worth much more.

The raids were all the more surprising, Indian customs agents said, because they had been carried out in Bijbehara, the hometown of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

In Srinagar, Customs Chief M S Kamra said the greatest narcotics challenge is not what comes from outside, but what is grown inside Kashmir itself.

With each case, Mr Kamra said he felt that he was getting closer to the nexus of narco-dealers and terrorists.

"In some of the cases, we found that people who indulge in carrying hashish have gotten in touch with people who need weapons. They become a link between militants and narcotics," he added. (UNI)

Puri takes over as IDS chief

NEW DELHI, Oct 20: Vice Admiral Raman Puri today took over as the Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff — the Unified Command that controls India’s nuclear weapons, its Tri-Service Command in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, major defence institutions and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

He succeeds Lt Gen Pankaj Joshi, the first incumbent, who retired on September 30.

The new CIDS laid a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate this morning, and inspected a tri-service Guard of Honour at the South Block, before entering his new office.

A specialist in gunnery and missile systems, Vice Admiral Puri had been the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOCINC) of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), prior to this appointment.

Before taking over the RNC in January 2002, he had served as the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DCNS) at the naval headquarters here and the fortress Commander of Andaman and Nicobar.

His operational commands included India’s first aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, the missile destroyer INS Rana and Corvette INS Vijaydurg.

Widely respected in naval circles for his interest in technical matters, Vice Admiral Puri is expected to use his expertise well in his new appointment.

Set up in Oct 2001, the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) is currently engaged in perspective planning and is in the process of putting in place a net assessment office that would provide long term inputs on trends and enemies from a analytic perspective.

Supported by a joint Integrated Defence Staff with elements from the three services and various departments in the Ministeries of Defence and External Affairs, the CIDS was tasked with providing assistance to the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning process and bring about the jointness amongst the armed forces.

Lt Gen Joshi had taken over as the country’s first Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CIDS) on October 1 2001.

With a Vice-Admiral taking over as the CIDS, it is the first time that senior staff appointments are with the ‘Sister Services’.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh is currently the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Air Marshal T K Asthana is heading the newly-created Strategic Forces Command (SFC).

However, an Army Lieutenant General has been appointed as the Chief of Navy-Dominated Tri-Service Command at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with Lt Gen B S Rhakur replacing Vice Admiral O P Bansal on October 1.

Vice Admiral Bansal has taken over from Vice Admiral Puri as the Chief of Navy’s Eastern command in Vizag. (UNI)

Maya seeks stay on arrest

LUCKNOW, Oct 20: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today moved the Allahabad High Court seeking stay on her possible arrest in a disproportionate assets case.

The petition seeking stay on Mayawati’s possible arrest and quashing of the FIR registered against her by the CBI charging her with amassing wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income was filed in the Lucknow bench of the High Court, the former CM’s lawyer Arun Kumar Sinha said.

The petition was likely to come up for hearing tomorrow.

The CBI had registered the case early this month after conducting a series of raids at the BSP leader’s residences in Delhi, Meerut and Lucknow.

Mayawati also filed another petition seeking stay on her arrest and quashing of the FIR against her in the Taj heritage corridor case.

The CBI had registered the FIR against Mayawati and ten others, including her then Principal Secretary P L Punia, on October 5.

The Lucknow bench of the High Court today posted for hearing tomorrow the writ petitions filed by Punia and V K Gupta, former Environment Secretary, seeking stay on their arrest and quashing of the FIR against them in the Taj case.

Mayawati’s petition in this regard is also likely to be heard tomorrow. (PTI)

Civilian killed in Doda
*Two injured in Pak shelling

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 20: A civilian was kidnapped and killed by the militants in Doda while two civilians were injured in unabated shelling by Pakistan army on Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector in Rajouri district today. Electricity supply in Kalsian was snapped after a transformer was damaged in shelling.

A civilian Gul Mohd Bhat son of Ahad Bat, a resident of Bhatpura in Chatru area of Kishtwar tehsil in Doda district was kidnapped by two militants from his house late last night.

The militants whisked away the civilian to a forest area in Karnah and shot him dead, reports said, adding that body of the civilian was picked-up by the police this morning and handed over to his family after post-mortem.

Meanwhile, Pakistan army continued mortar shelling in several areas of Nowshera sector during the day today. Two civilians and four cattle were injured in the shelling.

Injured civilians have been identified as Beli Ram son of Munshi, a resident of Kalsian and Kali Dass son of Kartar Chand R/o Ghania. While Beli Ram has been referred here and admitted in the Medical College hospital, Kartar Chand has been admitted in sub district hospital at Nowshera.

Electricity supply in Kalsian was snapped after a transformer was hit by a mortar shell and got damaged. Today, Army Brigadier and MLA Nowshera Romesh Sharma visited Kalsian and inter-acted with the people, who wanted to be shifted to safer areas.

People in Ganian, Daneka and Maanpur villages, located close to LoC, have also appealed to the authorities to look for safer areas for them in Nowshera where they could shift to escape heavy mortar shelling by Pakistan army, reports said.

Theatre alive & kicking: Kher

NEW DELHI, Oct 20: Veteran actor Anupam Kher says he is confident that the theatre culture in the country was "alive and kicking" and not about to die a slow death.

Theatre has seen lots of changes in the past two decades. There was a time when everyone felt that theatre would die. But then it is still there. Alive and kicking, Mr Kher, a National School of Drama (NSD) alumni and present chairman of the NSD, said.

Mr Kher, who is also the Chairperson of the Censor Board of Film Certification was talking at the National School of Drama’s Fifth edition of the National Theatre Festival for Children Jashn-e-Bachpan’s closing ceremony here yesterday.

The festival, which started on October 9, brought together children’s troupes from all over the country. It is an effort from our side to provide impetus to the children’s theatre movement and work towards better, meaningful and educative theatre for children, said Mr Kher.

Coinciding with Jashn-e-Bachpan, a confluence of traditional folk and performing arts ‘Bal Sangam’ was also held from October 15 to 19.

We are looking forward to acquaint the children with the rich and varied cultural heritage of the country and to preserve and nurture traditional art forms, he said.

Among other forms of art, the festival also included Yakshagana from Karnataka, Gotipua from Orissa, Raas from Uttar Pradesh, Mangniyar from Rajasthan, and Thang-Ta, Pung Chalom and Lai Haraopa from Manipur. (UNI)

Six officers transferred

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 20: The Government today ordered transfer and postings of six officers.

Dev Lata, personnel officer, Associated Hospital Jammu has been transferred and posted as general manager, JKTDC Jammu on deputation basis in place of B S Manocha who has been recalled and posted as Deputy Director (Central) Employment Department in place of Dr Rajeev Kumar.

Dr Rajeev Kumar has been transferred and posted as Personnel Officer Associated Hospitals Jammu. S C Gandotra, Assistant Director, Employment Udhampur has been transferred and posted as Deputy Director Employment Kathua in his own pay and grade, against available vacancy.

Services of B A Wani, Assistant Director, Employment with Directorate of Employment are placed at the disposal of Rural Development Department for his posting and B A Bhat, Assistant Director, Employment has been transferred and posted as General Manager, Handicrafts (S&E) on deputation basis in his own pay and grade against available vacancy.

6 Principals of degree colleges transferred

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 20: The Government today ordered transfers and postings of six Principals of Degree Colleges of the State.

According to Government Order No 374 DHE of 2003 dated 20-10-2003, R L Sharma, Principal Government College for Women, Baramulla is transferred and posted as Principal Government Degree College Kathua vice Rita Munshi who has been transferred and posted as Principal SPMR College of Commerce, Jammu vice Chanchal Sharma.

Chanchal Sharma, Principal, SPMR College of Commerce is transferred and posted as Principal, MAM College, Jammu against an available post.

Principal Government Degree College, Rajouri, P L Koul is transferred and posted as Principal Government Degree College, Boys, Udhampur against an available post.

Mehmooda Shafi (Mir) Principal Government College for Women, Nawakadal, Srinagar is transferred and posted as Principal Government College for Women M A Road, Srinagar against an available post. N D Wani, awaiting orders of adjustment, is posted as Principal, GGM Science College, Jammu against the post which will be available on November 1, this year upon the retirement of Sarla Kohli.

‘Latest Laden tape authentic’

WASHINGTON, Oct 20: A CIA technical analysis has determined that the latest audio tape broadcast over the weekend was likely the voice of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden recorded during the past six months, a CIA spokesman said today.

"Following a technical analysis of an audio tape aired on Al Jazeera on October 18, the CIA assesses that the voice is likely that of Osama bin Laden," the spokesman said.

Qatar-based Arabic television station Al Jazeera broadcast two audio tapes on Saturday purportedly from bin Laden that vowed more suicide attacks inside and outside the United States and warned all countries backing Washington over Iraq were targets.

The speaker urged Iraqis to wage a holy war against American "crusaders" in Iraq until an Islamic Government was set up.

The tape was believed to have been recorded in recent months because of the mention of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, who resigned last month. The speaker accused him of being a US agent.

"Several specific references on the tape, including the mentioning of former Palestinian Prime Minister Abbas, suggest that the tape was recorded during the past six months," the CIA spokesman said.

US officials have said they believe bin Laden was alive and hiding in the rugged border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Agencies)
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

| home | state | national | business| editorial | advertisement | sports |
| international | weather | mailbag | suggestions | search | subscribe | send mail |