Indian Airlines Plane Hijacked

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keshi #155:

Interesting report on how passengers on IC814 were not shown hijackers pictures before or since Mr. Advani made that statement.

http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/jan/10onkar.htm

rgds

t

truth #146: anarayan #147: concerned #151:

Folks, apologise about my Goebbels remarks. Was just ticked off. Usually I do not indulge in these pissing matches, as you probably know.

My views were clearly elucidated in the beginnig of this thread or the other one. To recall, I began by condemning all, and I mean ALL, forms of terrorsim.

And I implored upon the Govt. of India not to negotiate with the terrorists. And also put forth some ideas about an ever ready anti hijacking task force under UN auspices to be financed by a simple levy of fifty cents on each IATA ticket purchased. (sadly, amidst this hoopla, not one responded to it.)

Why is assigning blames so necessary? Though we all must do so for analytical reasons, under the present conditions it serves only one purpose. To shift the political blame from `us` to `them`.

Gentleman, with the past history between our countries, both governments have case histories and data available about thousands of each others citizens. With the resources of the state it is not diffcult to select five most `suitable` candidates from the dossiers, grab them, break them to confess and do a whirling dance before the world.

I am so confident of their abilities to elicit confession that I can make this claim. Give me some innocent people that you want to pin any blame on, in any major city of India or Pakistan of your choice. Their confessions of crimes they never commiteed will be on your desks inside a week. Seriously, I would never do such a thing: but the stark possibilty exists.

I blame the short sighted policies of India and Pakistan for the `intifada` in Kashmir. We can debate about apportioning the degree of blame till dooms day. But the intifada demands a political solution.

regards

t

vineet:

``Although Pakistani officials earlier said the hijackers would be arrested if they stepped foot in their country, there was no effort to detain Azhar.``

Since when Azhar became a hijacker?

``Indian Home Minister L K Advani, at a press conference in New Delhi, said the photographs of the five men who had commandeered the Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar in Afghanistan had been shown to the hostages who had identified every single one of them.``

I have read this in all major papers from India today. And in the same papers, during and after the crisis, they always made a point to mention that the hijackers always covered their faces. So `every single` monkey cap was identified? Long live Goebbel?

rgds

t

Who Aids Terror?

Washington Post, Editorial

Tuesday, January 4, 2000; Page A14

THE AFTERMATH of the Indian Airlines hijacking presents something of a puzzle. The governments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan have condemned terrorism and publicly refused asylum to the hijackers. Yet the hijackers are thought to have escaped from Afghanistan, the scene of their piracy, and into Pakistan.

Afghanistan`s ruling Taliban militia tried to use the hijacking to appear responsible, and so to soften the consensus behind U.N. sanctions imposed on their regime. To that end, they warned the hijackers that the execution of hostages would trigger an assault on the aircraft. But once the hostages were safely released, the Afghans could have done more to prevent the hijackers from escaping. They allowed them to drive off, with one Afghan official accompanying them as a hostage. That hostage has now returned, but seemingly without information about the hijackers` identity or whereabouts.

The Pakistanis, for their part, rightly refused to receive the hijackers at their consulate in Afghanistan. They protest that the terrorists may not be in Pakistan, and add that they will be arrested if they are. But Indian and Afghan officials say the hijackers have crossed into Pakistan near the city of Quetta, about two hours` drive from Kandahar. Although this is a sparsely guarded border, Pakistan had ample time to prepare for the hijackers` arrival. There is no evidence of a serious effort to capture them.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are trying to have it both ways on terrorism. They play host to terrorist groups, yet wax indignant when terrorists hijack an aircraft--or, as in the case of Osama bin Laden, resident of Afghanistan, blow up U.S. embassies. This limp ambivalence will encourage more hijackings and bombings. Both governments need to catch and deport offenders if they want their anti-terrorist rhetoric to be taken seriously.

Meanwhile, India`s government must resist the temptation to exploit its neighbors` misbehavior. In the wake of the hijacking, India is denouncing Pakistan as a terrorist state and lobbing shells across the border; the Pakistanis claim five civilians were killed on Monday. The hijacking has already brought the terrorizing of more than 150 hostages, the murder of one, and the release of three of the hijackers` extremist comrades. It must not be allowed to trigger another war on the subcontinent.

Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

Terrorism will dog us forever

The Indian Government`s capitulation to hijackers is a huge setback that will encourage similar crimes, writes GERARD HENDERSON.

IT WAS a huge relief for the survivors of Indian Airlines Flight 184 from Kathmandu to New Delhi, including Australian Peter Ward, but a significant setback in the war against terrorism.

Let there be no equivocation. The last plane hijack of the 20th century ended in almost total surrender to the terrorists` demands. The hijackers set free 155 hostages (one passenger had already been murdered) only after the Indian Government agreed to release three militants it was holding - Maulana Masood Azhar, Mushtag Ahmed Zargar and Ahmed Umar Saeed Sheikh.

The Indian Government had reason to be deeply concerned that passengers and crew on Flight 184 would be killed if it did not give in to the demands to release Masood Azhar. He is a Pakistan-born leader of the Harkut ul Mujaheddin organisation, which is attempting to establish Islamic rule in India-administered Kashmir.

The passengers` stories indicate that the hijackers were cool-headed and fanatical. In other words, revolutionary ideologues. India was in no position to overfly one unfriendly Islamic nation (Pakistan) in order to storm an aircraft on the ground in another (Afghanistan). Consequently there was little option but to negotiate. The essential problem turned on the fact that the cave-in was so absolute.

India is not the first nation to surrender to terrorist demands and it will not be the last. It is just that victory by Harkut ul Mujaheddin`s militants in this instance is likely to encourage others, including those who wish to drive India out of Kashmir, but in no sense limited to them.

The hijack was a favoured terrorist method of the 1970s and 1980s. Due primarily to increased airport security, it diminished somewhat in the 1990s as a revolutionary tactic in favour of the bomb. This led some to believe that hijackers were a phenomenon of the past. The events of December in Nepal have changed this (false) perception.

There is really nothing new about terrorism, except that strategies change from time to time. As Walter Laqueur demonstrated in his book Terrorism (1977), terrorists were active in Russia at the end of the 19th century. The Russian Social Revolutionary Party rationalised violence as one legitimate means of opposing Tzarist rule.

The assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914 was the spark that ignited World War I. The principal actor in this terrorist attack was the 20-year-old Bosnian Serb Gavrilo Princip. He and his (even younger) co-conspirators were members of the Serbian Black Hand and dedicated to the cause that Bosnia should become part of Serbia. Sounds familiar.

The Irish revolutionary Michael Collins perfected the tactic of urban guerilla warfare which the Irish Republican Army (IRA) used with considerable effect against the British during the Irish War of Independence. Collins later signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty and, for his troubles, was assassinated by that section of the IRA which favoured the continuation of political violence over the compromise that was on offer.

Terrorism was not all that prevalent from the 1920s until the 1960s. It then re-emerged in Northern Ireland as a tactic engaged in by the Provisional IRA and, later, Protestant militias, and also in the Middle East as an initiative of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and like-minded groups. Today surviving IRA and Palestinian leaders are negotiating cease-fires leading to possible peace deals.

In the West in the 1960s and 1970s, political terrorism had its roots in left-wing organisations. More notably the Weathermen, Symbionese Liberation Army and Black Panthers in the United States; the Baader-Meinhof Gang in Germany; the Red Brigades in Italy and ETA in the Basque area of Spain.

In the 1980s and 1990s, home-grown terrorists in Western nations tended to belong to extreme right-wing organisations. This description fits Timothy McVeigh, the Gulf War hero who was convicted of the Oklahoma City bombing. It appears that McVeigh acted almost alone and not on the instructions of any identified right-wing organisation. Even so, some US right-wing militias are involved in terrorism against the state, which they regard as the enemy of the people.

The US, as the only world super power in the post-Cold War era, is under constant threat from internationally motivated terrorism. The 1993 bombing of Manhattan`s World Trade Centre and the destruction of the US embassies in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Nairobi (Kenya) in the late 1990s demonstrate that Washington has real reason to express concern about the safety of its citizens inside and outside the United States.

The Clinton Administration has evidence to indicate that Osama bin Laden, the Saudi Arabian-born and Afghanistan-based terrorist, is behind many of the attacks on US citizens and property. It is probable, but not proven, that bin Laden backs the Harkut ul Mujaheddin.

In its political usage, terrorism is war by other means. No nation can seriously threaten US security but an individual with gun or bomb or biochemical weapon can make parts of American society dysfunctional, for a while at least. Terrorism can be controlled to some extent and, possibly, reduced. This will take resources and money. It also requires that military, police, security and intelligence operatives should be well trained and properly rewarded for the important work which they do.

Then there is the bigger picture. Should nations strike at states which they believe are instigating or protecting terrorists? Richard Perle (assistant defence secretary in President Reagan`s administration) says ``yes``. He maintains that the US ``should adopt a policy of retaliating against statessupporting terrorism whenever terrorists strike against us and those strikes should do real damage to military and intelligence facilities``.

Robert Gates (CIA director during the Bush Administration) holds a different view. He doubts whether ``President Ronald Reagan`s attack on Libya in 1986 chastened Muammar Gaddafi and essentially ended Libyan terrorism``. And gives credence to the view that ``the Libyan bombing of Pan Am 103 in 1988 was, in fact, in retaliation for the 1986 bombing attack on Libya``.

Gates advocates the use of force, at times, ``against the sponsors of terrorism``. But he also favours promoting human rights by pursuing ``policies and strategies that in the long run weaken terrorism`s roots``. Fair enough, in theory at least. Yet, as Walter Laqueur observed in the mid-1970s, ``there were no terrorist movements in Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy nor are there any in the communist regimes``.

Sometimes today`s terrorist can be tomorrow`s liberator. But, also, a contemporary terrorist can be a latter-day totalitarian or authoritarian despot. Michael Collins came to preside (albeit briefly) over the democratic Irish Free State which, in time, became Ireland. Vladimir Lenin favoured political murder before the Russian Revolution of 1917. As a Soviet despot, he made political murder part of state policy. Joseph Stalin continued in this tradition.

Terrorists may come and terrorists may go. But terrorism is likely to be with us forever. Regrettably, it is but one of the risks of life.

Gerard Henderson is the executive director of The Sydney Institute.

Ex-public schoolboy was exchanged `militant`

By Peter Popham

4 January 2000

A former British public schoolboy who was head of his house and school chess champion is one of the key figures in the Indian Airlines hijack crisis that ended on New Year`s Eve with the release of 155 hostages.

Ahmad Omar Sayyed Sheikh was the third ``militant`` held in Indian jails whose release was procured by the hijackers in exchange for the freedom of the airline passengers.

The son of a businessman from Lahore, Pakistan, who now runs a textile goods firm based in Commercial Road, east London, Sheikh, a British national, was comfortably raised in Wanstead, an outer London suburb, and went to Forest School, Epping, where he gained four A-levels.

But at the London School of Economics, where he studied mathematics, he is said to have come under the influence of Islamic fundamentalist students who convinced him to dedicate his life to jihad – holy war.

His perfect English accent turned out to be a boon for the terrorist group, Harkat-ul-Ansar, with which he became involved, when they decided to start kidnapping Western tourists as a way to secure the release of their imprisoned comrades. In Delhi, in 1994, he befriended a young English traveller called Rhys Partridge, and persuaded him to travel with him to Saharanpur, a fruit-growing town in the hills 90 miles north of Delhi, where Mr Partridge found himself taken prisoner and shackled in a tiny room.

Two friends were persuaded to go looking for him, and they, too, were taken prisoner by Sheikh and his accomplices.

Sheikh`s immaculate English startled them. He would reminisce about his time at Forest School, where he was an outstanding scholar, and at the LSE; then with a swing of mood he would threaten to decapitate them. The three hostages were only rescued when police launched a raid on the hideout, during which Sheikh received a gunshot wound. Had the police not intervened the hostages believe they would have been killed.

Currently on holiday together in Australia, they described Sheikh`s release as ``a disgrace and a signal to others to do the same``.

Sheikh was arrested on terrorism charges, but because of the sluggish pace of Indian justice he had not been brought to trial when the order came to release him. His whereabouts since leaving Kandahar with the hijackers are unknown.

It is rumoured that he may be in Lahore, his family`s Pakistani base.

````I do not think the whereabouts of the hijackers are still mystery, the Taleban authorities have clearly announced that the hijackers had headed for Quetta. The Foreign Minister for Taleban had himself informed me they have given then ten hours to clear out of Afghanistan and they do not want them there. So, I have no doubts in my mind that those ten hours have long ended and they are in or around Quetta``, Singh told the BBC in an interview.`` (Pakistan Link)

``Afghanistan rejects Indian claim

By Our Staff Correspondent

SPIN BULDAK (Pak-Afghan border), Jan 2: The information minister of Afghanistan, Abdul Hayee Mutmaeen, has refuted the claim of the Indian foreign minister that the hijackers and released freedom fighters have entered Pakistan via Quetta.

Talking to Dawn here on Sunday, the Afghan information minister said: ``They (the hijackers) left Afghanistan within the stipulated deadline.

They are not in Afghanistan. We are not bound to reveal their whereabouts.```` (DAWN)

Would the hijackers really be stupid enough to tell anyone, especially the Afghan authorities, or Jaswanth Singh, where they were going. How is it that Jaswanth Singh seems to know before hand exactly everything about the hijacking, and the hijackers? Did they tell him where they would be staying in Quetta, as well?

RE #: 119 Umairr

``India seems to have some of the most sophisticated eavesdropping equipment in the world. How can India intercept so many messages in its airspace, yet not intercept its own airliner? It seems like the Indian govt. is trying to do anything it can to get Pakistan involved somehow or the other, and to cover up its own mistake. I hope none of the Indian citizens are buying into this.``

I agree with you on this. I hope the BJP hot air balloons don`t release any more hot air so that they can come down to earth. After having made a mega-bungle in letting the aircraft leave Amritsar after which they had absolutely no control over the proceedings, it would make sense to cool down, think calmly, collect facts and make a presentation to the rest of the world. Any such case takes at least a few days to gather evidence after which it has to be sifted and a judgement made.

The law is clearly on India`s side and the world doesn`t take kindly to hijackings (which is why Pakistan chased the plane out of it`s territory). The West knows that just about any aircraft flying in the world will have a share of it`s citizens whose lives are also jeopardized (as in this case) so it won`t be a silent spectator.

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the hijackers are either in Afghanistan itself or have gone to Pakistan. The latter is more likely because of home-field advantage. So Pakistan is in the hot seat to prove it`s innocence, no matter what.

Given all of these circumstances, consistent pressure by the World Community on Pakistan to cough up the criminals just like Kansi of the CIA headquarters killings fame and the WTC bombings suspect will eventually bear fruit. BTW, why is it that these guys congregrate in and around Pakistan? Is there something in the water there?

For now I`ll be satisfied if the BJP windbags just shut up.

RE #: 119 Umairr

``India seems to have some of the most sophisticated eavesdropping equipment in the world. How can India intercept so many messages in its airspace, yet not intercept its own airliner? It seems like the Indian govt. is trying to do anything it can to get Pakistan involved somehow or the other, and to cover up its own mistake. I hope none of the Indian citizens are buying into this.``

I agree with you on this. I hope the BJP hot air balloons don`t release any more hot air so that they can come down to earth. After having made a mega-bungle in letting the aircraft leave Amritsar after which they had absolutely no control over the proceedings, it would make sense to cool down, think calmly, collect facts and make a presentation to the rest of the world. Any such case takes at least a few days to gather evidence after which it has to be sifted and a judgement made.

The law is clearly on India`s side and the world doesn`t take kindly to hijackings (which is why Pakistan chased the plane out of it`s territory). The West knows that just about any aircraft flying in the world will have a share of it`s citizens whose lives are also jeopardized (as in this case) so it won`t be a silent spectator.

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that the hijackers are either in Afghanistan itself or have gone to Pakistan. The latter is more likely because of home-field advantage. So Pakistan is in the hot seat to prove it`s innocence, no matter what.

Given all of these circumstances, consistent pressure by the World Community on Pakistan to cough up the criminals just like Kansi of the CIA headquarters killings fame and the WTC bombings suspect will eventually bear fruit. BTW, why is it that these guys congregrate in and around Pakistan? Is there something in the water there?

For now I`ll be satisfied if the BJP windbags just shut up.

Propoganda indeed cuts both ways.

Leafing through a MiddleEastern newspaper, I came across three articles on a single page. One talked about how Pakistan was dissapointed by India`s ludicrous claim that the hijacking was an ISI-planned operation and nothing else. A second article had a Nepalese minister replying in blunt terms that the Nepalese people were offended by Indian diplomatic claims that one of the hijackers was Nepalese and that the Nepalese government was to be blamed as well. The third article was a note by Taliban militia calling India`s statement about Osama Bin Laden being the brains behind the hijacking a ``useless and untimely propoganda scheme``.

In the midst of it all, while Mr. Vajpayee does his best to save his seat, no Indian minister - or Indian intelligence for that matter - could ever answer the following simple three questions:

1. Why was the plane not prevented from leaving Amritsar? (The time factor excuse - according to the BBC - does not apply, since authorities knew the plane was hijacked as soon as it had ENTERED Indian air space from the border which is all the way across the country).

2. The plane had landed in Dubai as well. Why weren`t the authorities in Dubai asked to prevent the plane from leaving as they were in Lahore, and even after the plane left, why weren`t they condemned for it as Pakistan was?

3. The inital passenger list released by the Indian media did not include any Pakistanis at all. Where on earth did four Pakistanis turn up from and when they did enter the plane, what nationality did they enter under(this can be easily figured out through the passenger list by process of elimination)? All this is, of course, after the hijackers were mentioned to be Nepalese, Kashmiris, Afghanis, Chehnyians and even Indians.

Does anybody in India know that the two Indian passengers released earlier were treated in Pakistani hospitals?

And the food for the aircraft while it stayed in Afghanistan came from Pakistan?

In a region where India does its best to cover its own impotence in handling a crisis situation by scapegoating Pakistan for everything (quite obviously in the hopes of having it declared a terrorist state), it would not surprise me if I found an article in the Indian media with the headline:

``Pakistan`s ISI behind massive floods and other natural disasters.``

Ummair: I responded to your posts by incorrectly posting in the other hijacking thread.

``KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Jan. 2 — India’s top security adviser on Sunday accused neighbor — and nuclear rival — Pakistan of having links with the five men who hijacked an Indian Airlines plane last week, holding 155 people hostage. Brajesh Mishra said on television that Indian intelligence had intercepted radio conversations between militant groups in Kashmir, confirming that Pakistan was involved in the eight-day debacle.: (MSNBC)

India seems to have some of the most sophisticated eavesdropping equipment in the world. How can India intercept so many messages in its airspace, yet not intercept its own airliner? It seems like the Indian govt. is trying to do anything it can to get Pakistan involved somehow or the other, and to cover up its own mistake. I hope none of the Indian citizens are buying into this.

Re:Umairr#116

The unfortunate hijacking incident has once again shown how silly both India and Pakistan are. They have a reflexive, immature hostility that makes them the laughing stock of the rest of the world. India should not point fingers unless it has hard evidence to back its claims. Similarly it was quite ludicrous for Pakistan to claim the whole thing was a RAW operation, even after the plane had left Lahore for Dubai. The mood in India is very sombre and depressed with the outcome and people are clamoring for retribution in Kashmir. You can couple that with Musharraf`s declaration that Pakistan`s policy has changed to ``Kashmir first`` rather than ``Kashmir and other issues simultaneously``. It seems like we are in for a fairly miserable Y2K in South Asia.

I suggest that perhaps we should have a development race in South Asia with Kashmir as the prize. Both India and Pakistan would race to reach the current development statistics of say South Korea or Taiwan on a per capita basis. Whoever reaches it first gets Kashmir. Until then, Kashmir maintains status quo. Any acts of terrorism from either side would lead to reduction in overall points to reach the goal. This would be a great challenge to Indians and Pakistanis to use their brains for a change to help develop their nations. Let them prove the superiority of secular democracy, islamic system etc, in the only provable manner i.e. impact on people`s lives. What about the opinions of Kashmiris ? Heck, either way they win and get to become a developed land. I say, let the games begin.

Umairr

Just few points which might be related to your replies 110, 111 and 116 (just acting as a devil`s advocate, I loved it how the Indians got their noses rubbed into it)

1. The BJP is a political party, which is to say that they are supposed to be people who can be shrill and very single issue indeed. They can and frequently do say things which governments cannot say. Their utterances can really be compared to some of our own parties. I suspect the indians take as much notice of them as we do to ours.

2. A second point which was raised was that Pakistan seems to be the logical destination of the hijackers. Looking at an atlas, the chances of them heading into the central Asian republics or Iran is equally possible. Ummm, if i was one of them, and I had 3 Pakistani / kashmiri freedom fighters released, then I would much rather take them across a border which was very porous and to a place where I can be welcomed. Hmmm, I would go home, no? Logically speaking, so to say. If they were not from Pakistan or Kashmir, ummm, why would they want to release of Pakistani / Kashmir freedom fighters?

3. As for Indians believing in what dear old Jaswant Singh was saying and you being disappointed in how they were getting sucked into such thinking. I suspect, what someone from the other side will turn around and say, and this is coming from a country which has such lovely times with democracy, development, corruption and military rule. On the other hand, if you do look at it logically, Umairr, there are more indications towards us being implicated than not. On the other hand, Jaswant Singh is acting just like what is expected, the Indians fell down majorly and they have to blame somebody, no?, might as well as go for Pakistan, they do have sufficient precedent, no?

4. I could not but help grinning away at your statement, ``It is unfortunate that the Indian govt. tries to blame everything related to Kashmir to Pakistan``, that, my dear sir, is the diplomatic statement of the century!!!!!

just stirring the pot a bit

cheers

bd

Do these BJP guys ever shut up.

``BJP asserts Pakistan to prove her innocence (Updated at 2100 PST)

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee`s party BJP said on Sunday that Pakistan must ``prove its innocence`` by handing over the hijackers of an Indian plane and the released militants to India. ``If Pakistan is really innocent as it pretends to be, let it hand over the hijackers along with the militants back to India,`` BJP spokesman Venkaiah Naidu said.`` (NEWS, Pakistan)

How is it possible for Pakistan to hand over hijackers when no one knows where they went, and no one even knows what they look like. And how has the BJP all of a sudden come to the conclusion that they were Pakistani, when the BJP initially stated that their were no Pakistanis on the plane. The BJP also stated that they did not have any other information about the hijackers. Did four of the Indians on the plane change their nationality? If they were so bent upon catching the hijackers, they should stopped the plane in Amritsar, and raided it. I read an Indian article that the RSS has really been getting on Vajpayee to blame Pakistan at all costs, and he has started to give in.

There is no way anyone can know where the hijackers went, and who they are, since no one saw them, and the hijackers themselves did not reveal their identity to anyone. Any claims regarding the hijackers are thus false and baseless. In that sense the Pakistani RAW agent claim is just as valid (or invalid) as the Indian claim of the hijackers being Pakistani. I am surprised and disappointed that so many Indians believe everything the Jaswanth Singh says. Is he an oracle of some kind? Or do people in India not think for themselves, and rely on the politicians to do all the thinking.

Chuhan #114

watch your language chuhan.. Chowk is not made to act as a battle ground for indians and pakistanis to fight their differencies out... please dont disapoint us through your attitude..

thanks..

Just a chowkwala..

Adnan.

The Taliban have advertised their excellent services for all would be hijackers of the world. Kandahar should be the destination of choice for all of them in future. The Taliban guarantees full protection to the hijackers by deploying tanks, stinger missiles carrying militia so that no government is able to do an Entebbe there. If the HJers fall short of arms, they can be sure of fresh supplies too. A 4 WD is provided for safe getaway and sanctuary in Pakistan is guaranteed.

India should give up the delusion of ever receiving any help from others.They have to learn to stand on their two feet and close down all the embassies in the developed world who anyway care two hoots about all south asians, or anybody else who is non white.

As for Indian atrocities in Kashmir,if India sends militants into say Pakistani Punjab(which will never happen because we are too decent for that,or maybe timid and incompetent also in such matters) who target security forces, I am sure when the Paki security forces go about their job, there will be very few patriotic Pakis left and the word atrocities would be a wholly inadequate one. Why you didn`t even need any such provocation in B`desh.

I am sure many would like to join issues with me on this. No I am not going to sit all night and reply. I will maybe log in after a couple of days and see what the c`wallas have to say.

As a part of Chowk I am relieved that this nightmare is over and we can look ahead towards the new milleniumn with a new set of Hope and Dreams...

Without darkness there are no dreams... dream on..

Happy Chowkwala...

Adnan.

After all the help Pakistan has provided, Jaswanth Singh still doesn`t seem satisfied.

``Indian FM lays hijack blame on Pakistan

(Updated at 1620 PST)

NEW DELHI: Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh has blamed Pakistan for the hijacking crisis and warned that New Delhi would be seeking retribution, it was disclosed Saturday.

``It is clear that the terrorists and hijackers are going to Quetta,`` Singh said. ``Our initial inquiry reveals that the hijackers are Pakistani nationals and the majority of the terrorists whose release was sought by the hijackers were also Pakistan nationals,`` Singh said. Although he made no specific charge against Islamabad, Singh said New Delhi would be taking up the hijacking issue with the Pakistani authorities in an ``appropriate`` fashion. ``The crime that has been committed shall be retributed and justice sought,`` he added.(NEWS, Pakistan)

I think the Pakistan govt. needs to be on its toes here. Indian could attempt something similar to the killing of 23 innocents in the Navy plane, it carried out a few months ago. This may seem extreme, however the shooting did seem extreme back then as well. It is unfortunate that the Indian govt. tries to blame everything related to Kashmir to Pakistan.

On the whole, I think this time around Pakistan handled the India propoganda machinery, quite well. Pakistan media went on the offensive, as well. One false statement deserves another. I think all Pakistani flights that go to India have armed commandos on them. Perhaps their number should be increased. Also, all Pakistani military aircraft flying close to the border whould have fighter escorts ready, just in case the IAF tries to shoot one down. By the way that case is still with the International Court of Justice. India does not want to participate in it for obvious reasons.

Rishi # 109

More violence, and no prisoners, will be the unfortunate outcome of this episode. Soldiers are not retards. They know the game.

Another worrisome outcome is that whole experience will strengthen the hawks that have been making a case for going full scale to inflict pain at the source of trouble.

With the rise in violence, I see chances of general war increasing. Both Indian hawks and the CE would love it and poor people, on both ends, will keep suffering.

``India shall join hands across nations to rid the world of this crime against humanity.`` (Vajpayee, BBC) I hope this applies to the crimes against humanity by the Indian army against the occupied Kashmiris, as well.

Re:

ANY INDIAN HAS ANY SUGGESTION AS TO HOW WE CAN IMPRESS UPON THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT NEVER TO TAKE PRISONERS ALIVE ????

PLEASE RESPOND

RISHI

Re:

And this is why India should never take prisoners alive. We can atleast keep our jails empty by killing all these militants in action. We should make it our national policy not to take captives. The militants do not take prisoners so when they attack an army patrol. Why should the army take prisoners ?

As a policy we should kill all terrorists in action . a good way to start would be by executing those in the prisons so that we would never have to release anyone..............anytime

the rooster will come home when pakistan is viewed by the international community as another afghanistan....and that is the price pakistan is going to pay for its nefarious deals..

and i am sure that the ever increasing substantial indian community in the western world will use its clout in the near future to impress upon their neighbours, politicians and friends of the countries of their residence about pakistan`s terrorist credentials. the pakistanis are making the job as much easier... already pakistan is recognised my most of the americans i know as a terrorist nation much as they recognise india as a depressingly poor and squalid country.

Expatriate Pakistanis have their work cut out for them....

Rishi

Re: Rishi Reply #: 99

``And this is why India should never take prisoners alive.``

Thanks to Pakistan for showing us the light. One of the positive outcomes of the hijack for India.

CELEBRATION TO A RESPITE

I have tried for so long to find some common grounds, even grounds of discord that can be converted to an event to celebrate. Ever since the independence, the two countries haven`t celebrated the same event, and never before on the same day.

I knew millenium is important, unprecedented events will take place and at last it has taken place. On the new years eve the two countries have celebrated the out come of the same event. Indians celebrated the return of the hostages, Pakistan has celebrated the safe return of the mujahideen who enjoy widespread support. At last the two countries have celebrated, that is important, they are closer now more than ever before. Let us celebrate the differences.

There are several areas this complimentary nature of India and Pakistan can be put to good use, in an orgy of celebrations and thus an understanding and peace. Some of these can be executed quite easily. Now that Asghar is back, his passport can be given to Nawaz Sheriff and sent to India. Pakistan gets rid of the much hated NS, India will be happy in recapturing the terrorist.

A week later, there can be a hijacking, and to spite NS further, his release will not be demanded by the hijackers. The opportunities are endless and I am busy working these good ideas to secure copyrights.

So my dear friends on the chowk, bear with me for some time, please give me some rest. The new millenium belongs to intellectual properties, I am on it from day one.

Regards and best wishes for the New Year

Jayaprakash

P.S. Temporal, you are a worthy opponent, if you respond to this, I will have to come back and tell you another parable and you wouldn`t want it. But I can promise you, --- I will be back

Something interesting about the hijacking. I don`t think anybody uptil now knows the exact identity of the hijackers. Since the kept their faces wrapped up, no one knows what they look like either. So how is anyone going to know who the are if they reappear again?

The Kashmiris are the a * * * * * * * of the millenium ..let them come forward and tell what they want .. they will ultimately blow up the sub-continent in a nuclear cloud. I haven´t seen a single Kashmiri on the net to explain his point of view ... if they can get weapons and bulletproof armor, they can certainly get net access !

Reply #: 93 TAhmed321, Veeresh #55

Now that the hijack drama is over, I wish to extend my goodwill and sincerity to our Indian brothers and sisters. I had offered myself in response to the hostage exchange program initiated by Veeresh. I hope the innocent passengers will get over this trauma. I am enraged by the killing of that 25 year old man in front of her beutiful wife on the return trip of their honeymoon. It was neither ISI nor RAW, it was indeed the Kashmiris. Who helped them ? The Pakistanis in their ``Moral Support`` for the Kashmiri cause. One poignant moment was when Anil Khurana´s wife arrived to pick her husband up from the Al-Shifa hospital she observed ``I feel like I`m in my my own country``. Anil´s family was looked after so well and the people in Islamabad wntaed to get a glimpse of the Indians. Cannot this hostility end between the two contries ? The people do not want it ..

Re: Umairr # 92

Read my post before coming up with your emotional anti India knee jerk reactions as you usually do.

Here`s what I am saying:

1. The hijackers were members of Jihadic groups operating out of Pakistani territory.

2. These jihadic groups are funded and supported by the ISI.

3. In light of the magnitude of contraband smuggled into the plane, it seems to me that these folks had some heavy backing and support.

Which of the above statements do you find `half baked`?

And as to your touching appeal to all the sane people of India, while you are at it could you please make an appeal to your fellow countrymen as well? Because here is what we`ve been hearing...

82% of Pakistanis believe that:

1. RAW agents hijacked the plane.

2. RAW agents killed an Indian citizen and traumatized 160 Indian hostages.

3. RAW agents thought the best place to organize the hijacking was from Afghanistan.

4. RAW agents demanded the release of three hardcore militants from Indian jails.

5. RAW agents got into a jeep with the freed terrorists and drove into Pakistan.

6. RAW agents and the three militants will now live happily ever after in Peshawar.

Please get a grip and try to tone down your bias.

Kind Regards

Re:

And this is why India should never take prisoners alive. We can atleast keep our jails empty by killing all these militants in action. We should make it our national policy not to take captives. The militants do not take prisoners so when they attack an army patrol. Why should the army take prisoners ?

As a policy we should kill all terrorists in action . a good way to start would be by executing those in the prisons so that we would never have to release anyone..............anytime

Rishi

Terrorism, in all its shapes, forms and sources of origination-state, groups, individuals-is wrong, against all moral, religious and ethical directives and should be condemned in its entirety. The definition of terrorism is any violence carried out against peaceful civilians. Whether it`s the hijacking of an Indian passenger plane, bombing of the Oklahoma federal building, murder of Chechen civilians by Russia, Kashmiri civilians by India or Lebanese civilians by Israel, its all the same and condemnable.

Rehan.

Ref Ummair`s post# 95: ``Pakistan won`t accept hijackers``

- REALITY CHECK -

ONLY COUNTRY THAT WILL ACCEPT HIJACKERS IS PAKISTAN - TALEBAN

[They (the hijackers) have started their journey under the monitoring of our people (the Taleban). Ultimately, their destination would be Pakistan,``

Taleban representative in the United States Hakim Abdul Mujahid told rediff.com this morning.

``It is not exactly known where they are headed, but since no other country wants them, the only guess is that they are headed towards Pakistan,`` he said.]

Re: #97

O HOLY SAGE!
O THE WISE!
O THE ALL KNOWING!

We bow down to respect your wisdom. You are indeed wise.

Now get off your dead horse and bury it. Thou knowst not!

All the best and may the rooster swallow you.

t

Demanding Apology

All those, know it all, chowkirdars can read my post 25, and decide for themselves who has better understanding of the south asian psyche.

Those who have sinned against me can send in their apologies, other can learn from ..

Now talk of the prestige of general PM and the reception for the `leaders`. Think, think TNT.

1) Many of the faithful, across religions and communities, willing to bay across oceans their willingness to give their lives for their (?) cause, would not have the guts to offer themselves as substitute hostages.

2) Middle class India has not seen such an across the board resurgence of Hindu-Muslim unity as it is seeing today. This needs to be high-lighted.

3) There is a growing suspicion that these hijackers may be not more than garden variety criminals out on a mercenary deal.

They eat our food,

``UNITED NATIONS, Dec 30: The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, Erik De Mul, has contracted a Pakistani firm to supply food to the passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane now at Kandahar airport, a spokesman for the Secretary-General said on Wednesday....Food will also be made available to the Indian negotiators, and to diplomats, relief workers and journalists at the airport. Two meals a day will be prepared from supplies in Kandahar, while a dinner will be flown in from Islamabad, he said.`` (DAWN, Pakistan)

They use our hospitals,

``The Peshawar-born Kewal Prakash Anand said Anil was provided good treatment at the hospital and he and his family members would like to extend best wishes to the Pakistani authorities and the management of Al-Shifa Hospital for giving ``new lease of life`` to Anil Khurana who was breathing heavily in captivity.`` (DAWN, Pakistan)

We support their cause,

``It appears the Indians are ready to make concessions to the hijackers` demand to release 36 Kashmiris held in Indian jails, the sources said. ``The negotiators cannot come up with any country to take these people now that the Indians seem to be making concessions,`` one diplomatic source said.

``Neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan will take them,`` he said, admitting the seven-day crisis had reached a stalemate.

Pakistan has already refused to accept the hijackers, two separate diplomatic sources told AFP.`` (DAWN, Pakistan)

We clarify their complaints,

``Nepal has rejected the Indian claim that hijackers of the Indian aircraft got off from a PIA flight and boarded the Indian aircraft at the Kathmandu airport.

Nepalese ambassador to Pakistan Kumar Prasad Gyawali when contacted told Dawn that though his government had ordered a probe into the matter, the transfer of hijackers from one plane to another without going through the normal customs and immigration procedures seemed ``impossible``.

``It is difficult for a sane person to believe it. At least I don`t buy this,`` he said, adding, ``things will become clear as soon as this `hijacking drama` reaches to its climax.``

Coming back to the Indian claim, he endorsed the government of Pakistan`s claim that there was almost five hour difference between the take off of PIA flight and landing of Indian airliner at Kathmandu airport.

``Quiet often I have taken the same PIA flight from Karachi to Kathmandu. It lands at Kathmandu airport at about 9:30am (Nepalese time) and takes off on return journey at 10:30am (after one hour) whereas the Indian plane arrives at the same airport at about 4:30pm,`` the ambassador said.

The difference of almost five hours in the timings of arrivals of the two aircraft showed that the simple transfer of hijackers by getting off from one plane and boarding the other was out of question. (DAWN, Pakistan)

Yet they continue to accuse,

``Hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane is understood to be part of the ``Operation Ramadan`` planned jointly by several militant outfits including the Lashkar-e-Toiba ,Harkat-ul-Mujahedeen and Al-Badr under the supervision of Pakistan`s ISI, the official sources said today.`` (Hindustan Times, India)

To all the sane people of India. For heaven`s sake, have a heart, and don`t try to bring Pakistan into all your problems. Pakistanis support the Kashmiris noble stand for self-determination. They do not support hijackings. These are two different things. Not a single Pakistani on this website has supported the hijackers. Why are you relying on Pakistan for help on one hand, and making false statements on the other? Think for yourselves, and don`t let the Indian media and govt. control your minds. There is enough hatred amongst the two peoples, as it is. Don`t be in a state of denial about your own problems, and please don`t try to get Pakistan involved in them, at any cost. These false accusations will come back to bite you. The whole world, including the UN, has prasied the support provided by Pakistan. The only country that has not been thankful is the one that is getting this support, i.e. India.

To the people in India who are not sane; please go ahead and continue your conspiracy theories.

Mohajir Reply 84: ``In addition, it would suggest that old rifts between the ISI and Musharraf have not been resolved.

If the ISI is acting on its own initiative, any attempts to reorient Pakistan’s regional position, particularly with regard to the Taliban and Muslim radicals, may be doomed from the beginning.``

My attempts at pointing out disinformation that is regularly being printed by the Indian press are begining to get quite tiring. Disinformation only causes unnecessary hatred. There is enough hatred between India and Pakistan, as it is. It seems like the Indian media is bent upon creating more. Pakistanis media has jumped in as well. I don`t think it had any choice after all the hoopla created by Jaswanth Singh.

Back to mohajir. Do some research of your own, and don`t follow the Indian govt. and media line. They are bent on bringing Pakistan into this, one way or the other. How can there be a rift between Musharraf and the ISI? Could you explain this in furthur detail. And how can the ISI act on its own initiatives. Did you know that the ISI is a branch of the Pakistan military. Its head is always a serving Lt. General, who is assigned to the position by the Prime Minister (who currently happens to be Musharraf) and can be retired by the COAS in a day. So how the hell could there be any kind of a rift.

The original conspiracy theory was that the ISI was involved. Now the new theory you have presented here is that there is a rift between the ISI and the COAS. Do some research before you put misinformation up here. Unless you are bent on creating trouble amongst Indians and Pakistanis.

Veeresh #55

You wrote: ``I would like to start this ball rolling by offering my wife and myself in the first instance. Maybe Chowk can open a bulletin board where more of us can do the same?``

I thought about what you wrote over the past few days, as I went about my work (getting ready for Y2K). The idea of ordinary people from India and Pakistan joining hands and offering themselves in place of the hostages is certainly a very appealing one. I must admit I could not go through on this with you, much as I would like to. But perhaps we can somehow still build on the spirit of what you say. Perhaps Chowk readers could contribute to a fund that goes some charitable organization that is known to do good work for orphanages in both countries. Can Chowk editors assist in setting up the fund, and perhaps asking the widow of the passenger that was killed to select the charity concerned.

the happy one: reply 88: Here is another idea. How about waiting till the whole affair settles down, and there is some evidence available, before coming up with half-baked theories. And how about looking at it for what it is. A hijacking done by a couple of hijackers, who apparently want to free someone from jail. The person they want to free from jail is involved in a freedom movement against the Indian govt.

Also, do you even have the faintest idea how the ISI operates? How about doing a bit of research before coming up conspiracy theories.

OK, lets take this step by step...

Question: Are the hijackers acing totally independently or are they just `operatives` of an `agency` that planned and was/is/will be providing moral, logistic & financial support?

Possible Answer A: The hijackers are members of a J&K/ P.A.K (Pakistan Administered Kashmir) based organization that unilaterally took this action to free Maulana Azar & friends. Just based on the fact that last four attempts to free the Maulana have come from a group attached to the Harkat-Ul-Ansar/ Mujahedeen, they would have to be the prime suspects.

Possible Answer B: The hijackers may or may not be members of H.U.M but they are fully controlled by an intelligence agency. And the nominees are... CIA, Mossad, ISI, RAS. And the winner is? Can we safely narrow this down to ISI & RAS by popular demand?

I would personally lean towards Answer B.

Here is the amount of stuff these people smuggled in. Handguns, knifes, hand grenades (eye witness reports indicate that the famous five are not quite sharing one of each, they all have their own fire power). That`s an amazing volume of contraband to take past security. And then there are the unconfirmed reports of bullet proof vests, laptops, satellite phones, bullet resistant pants (!) and what not. How do you get past security with all this? Can you bribe your way into an aircraft with the nature of booty being so frightening? Seems highly unlikely. These folks have been helped out by somebody really high up on the totem pole. Does anybody on chowk have any possible answers? As ridiculous as Zeemax`s food cart theory sounds, it is the only theory so far that explains this.

Before we inspect/ accept the `agency` paradigm, let me just say one thing to all those people who ask ``Why would a `government` plan or execute such an audaciously risky maneuver?`` I am sure you guys are aware of the CIA sending poisoned cigars to Castro and other such hilarious escapades (I think they sell the CIA Bloopers video for 14.95 at Kmart). If somebody alleges that RAS had something to do with this operation, they are not exactly insinuating that the Lok Sabha passed this operation with a voice vote. Intelligence agencies around the world almost feel remiss if they take their respective governments into full confidence.

So which agency is it? I think if you argue that these are Kashmiri freedom fighters and members in good standing of the august institution of Harkat-Ul-Mujahedeen, then you automatically concede that its an ISI operation. ISI provides training, manpower, logistics, infrastructure, funding & command structure to H.U.M. So if its an H.U.M operation, then its an ISI operation. I think ISI has far more to gain and lot less to loose than RAS. In fact the way it has gone so far, it seems extremely unlikely that RAS had anything to do with this whatsoever. If anybody can give me a good reason as to why the RAS would subject the Indian people & government to such an ordeal, I would be really grateful.

In summation I would like to say that I wouldn`t put a `contrived hijacking` or any other sinister plot past the RAS. They are insidious scumbags like any intelligence agency worth its salt should be. But the way this is shaking down, I think its pretty obvious that RAS had nothing to do with this (unless of course they`ve been completely bought over by ISI and their goal now is the destruction of India!). It would be interesting to find out the extent of the role ISI played in this but to concede that this is a Mujahedeen operation and then to release ISI of all culpability is a trifle oxymoronic.

Regards

A Question of Humanity, Justice, and Wisdom

On this forum, the issue is highjacking and its impact on a host of innocent people, both inside and outside the plane. This issue could easily be linked with Kashmir, Pakistan, India, Islam, Hinduism and a several other aspects, but this forum is not an appropriate place to score points, show distaste and hatred of each other, and to engage in an unwise discussion that may widen existing unwarranted gulf between Pakistan and India. Shouldn`t we realize the intended or unintended consequences of our unwise rhetoric?

I appeal to the Indian Government to make a human (not merely political and strategic decision) to bring an end to the misery of so many innocent people (particularly the widow of a twenty-five year old kid).

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

Dear Chowkies,

I read your many posts, news articles, opinions, and personal beef posted here.

It is unfortunate to see that our generation, either side of the subcontinental divide, has been raised and groomed to hate each other, scapegoat, and point fingers.

I don`t support terrorism of any kind, being victim of it myself. Many of you may not even realize what the victims and families are going through, but keep on giving your ``expert`` opinion on the whole situation. Be sensitive to the nature of this issue. It is about Human Rights, and not the great might of any state.

Still, I would like to mention an old adage ``One person`s terrorist is another person`s freedom fighter,``FYI.

Much has been said already, and I hope that the standoff ends soon, and the victims go home, safely.

Please inform through this great resource, not antagonize.

Regards

Shankar: reply 80: ``It is ridiculous to blame either the Indian & Pakistani govts for having concocted this hijacking to score political points against each other. As an Indian I`m very disappointed to know our foreign minister cast the first stone.

I think no govt in its right mind could conceive of hijacking its own plane, cold bloodedly stab & kill a young man on his honeymoon (an Indian--no less), pay the Afgans 25000$, outrage a billion of its citizens--just to score points against Pakistan.

On the other hand, I dont believe the Pakistani govt would risk sending its agents to hijack a plane & risk international condemnation.Too many things can go wrong in a hijacking enterprise. The risks far outweigh any potential rewards.``

Couldn`t have said it better myself. This is an act of individuals, and does not involve the govts. of either country. I think Pakistan has come up with the RAW theory to counter the Pakistan involvement theory that the Indian govt. came up with. Both theories are not based on any kind of proof. It is a well accepted fact that the best way to counter a false allegation is not to provide excuses, but to come up with a counter-accusation, even if it is false as well.

I think the India media is to be blamed for this. ZeeTV and TVAsia are filled with anti-Pakistan news. I have lost a lot of respect for these two, ``private`` networks that claim to be unbiased. They openly carry the Indian opinion, and play to the Indian sentiments. Perhaps I should end my subscription.

I think Jaswanth Singh made a big mistake by trying to get Pakistan involved without any proof. Perhaps he was just playing to the sentiments of the people, who had been misinformed by the media. It is good to know that the family of the diabetic passenger has thanked Pakistan for saving the passenger`s life. India has also started thanking the Taliban for helping the Indian negotiators, so that is a good sign, as well.

Some more info about the hijackers:

``No Nepalese among hijackers, says Ram Sharan

(Updated at 1250 PST)

KATHMANDU: Nepalese Foreign Minister Ram Sharan Mahat denied media reports that a Nepalese is also among the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane in Afghanistan, sources said on Thursday.

Mahat dismissed as baseless media reports in India that a Nepalese, Gajendra Man Tamrakar, is one of the five hijackers of the Indian Airlines airbus.

The Tamrakar family said that Gajendra ran a gold and silver store in Kathmandu and on the day of the hijacking he had booked a Royal Nepal Airlines flight to Delhi. His wife, Meera Tamrakar, said that he changed to the Indian Airlines flight after his earlier flight was cancelled. She further said that they were consulting with lawyers to file a libel suit against Indian television.``

(THE NEWS, Pakistan)

This is one of the strangest hijackings I have ever seen. The Indian media and govt. continue making incorrect statements about the hijackers identities, as shown by the press clip above. They keep trying to involve Pakistan into it with statements that are proving to be incorrect. The organization that the hijackers say they belong to has denounced the hijacking. The person whom the hijackers say the are trying to free has denounced the hijacking also, along with his family. The Indian govt. has been dealing with the Taliban through Pakistan, yet they have thanked everyone except Pakistan. ZeeTV and TVAsia are busy day and night denouncing Pakistan, even though they claim to be unbiased. Pakistan has retaliated by stating that this in an Indian staged drama, as explained below:

``IA hijacking: majority believes it`s a plot

(Updated at 2330 PST)

KARACHI: According to a poll conducted by the The News and Jang Internet as to what was behind the Indian government`s inability to prevent the hijacked plane from leaving Amritsar. 82 per cent of the voters believed that this was a plot rather than an act of negligence.``

(THE NEWS, Pakistan)

Let`s see what happens.

Godot: #85

Really, the nameless person under discussion is not a bad fellow. Only he fails to grasp stark realities, and is a victim of tunnel vision
and his own half baked rhetorics. Sort of a legend-in-his-own-mind syndrome.

You further say,``I have not read a single post on Chowk by a Pakistani that attacks Hinduism and Hindu way of living.``

Well, to be honest there have been a few of those comments by intolerant imbeciles. Most of them were chased or hounded out of Chowk. Others lost interest. Occassionally I still detect a few of them around. Tolerance is the key. Abrasiveness never wins friends. Wish some folks understand this.

Seasons greetings,

t

Re#81

Please spare us your sick jokes, farts whatever.
May the rooster swallow you.

t

Re: temporal, #82

Bigotry and venomous attacks on Pakistan and Islam seem to be his greatest traits. His posts reflect a deep and repressed inferiority complex. Conniving but not shrewd. He sure fits the stereotype.

I have not read a single post on Chowk by a Pakistani that attacks Hinduism and Hindu way of living. And please don`t tell me that`s because Hinduism is a perfect religion/philosophy beyond reproach. Ask Hegel.

The Hijacking of Pakistani Foreign Policy

Four days ago, hijackers took control of an Indian Airlines plane, which now sits with more than 150 hostages trapped inside on a runway in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan. Indian officials are now negotiating with the hijackers, who demand the release of Pakistani Islamic cleric Maulana Masood Azhar, arrested in Indian-held Kashmir in 1994, and that of several other prisoners. The incident has strained already tense relations between Pakistan and India, re-igniting the issue of Kashmir, where both countries claim land.

Kashmiris, Pakistani nationals and Pakistan’s intelligence agency are the most likely suspects in the hijacking. But whoever is responsible, the hijacking has the same result: It usurps control of Pakistani foreign policy, undercutting Pakistani leader Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s attempts to focus the government’s attention on domestic problems.

In recent months, Musharraf has attempted to step back from regional conflicts, wanting to attend to domestic issues facing the new regime. He has weakened his government’s traditional support for Afghanistan’s Taliban, whose forces have fought alongside Pakistani rebels in Kashmir. He has also made efforts toward defusing conflict along the disputed India-Pakistan border.

The hijacking disrupts both of Musharraf’s initiatives. First, it highlights the relationship between Islamabad and the Taliban, damning any attempts by Musharraf to disassociate the two in the international eye. The plane sits grounded in Kandahar, where Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban is based. And although the Taliban is reportedly ready to sabotage the hijackers if they harm passengers, its connection to Pakistani radicals is well-known.

Second, and more significantly, the hijacking forces the Kashmir issue back into the forefront. As well, it increases tensions between Pakistan and India. Each country has blamed the other for the hijacking. On Dec. 27, Musharraf reiterated that resolving their territorial dispute must take first priority in any future talks with India.

India has accused Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), of organizing the attack. There may be truth to New Delhi’s allegations. The ISI is well-known for its support of militants in Kashmir and has recently been implicated in separatist violence in India’s state of Assam.

The involvement of the Pakistani spy agency would indicate that Musharraf has not fully consolidated power in Pakistan. In addition, it would suggest that old rifts between the ISI and Musharraf have not been resolved.

If the ISI is acting on its own initiative, any attempts to reorient Pakistan’s regional position, particularly with regard to the Taliban and Muslim radicals, may be doomed from the beginning.

But regardless of whoever masterminded the attack, one thing is clear: For the time being, the hijackers control not only the fate of 150 passengers, but also the fate of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

On Saturday, December 25, the hijackers of Flight 814 demanded the release of Maulana Masood Azhar, Pakistani militant , secretary general of the Harkat-ul Ansar, who is imprisoned in Jammu`s Kotbalwal jail.

On Tuesday, the hijackers added 35 more militants to the list. Who are these men?

rediff.com obtained a partial list on Wednesday night. Most of them are foreign nationals, and are accused of serious crimes against the Indian State.

1. Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar

2. Nasrullah Largya

3. Naved Iqbal, son of Mohammad Iqbal, resident of Mirpur, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (Pakistani calls it Azad Kashmir)

4. Muzamil Ahmad Dar, s/o Ghulam Mohammad, r/o Kotli, PoK

5. Sayeed Mehboob, s/o Afsar, r/o Rawalpindi 6. Mohammad Akran Baloch, s/o Dalil Khan, r/o Balochistan

7. Naseer Ikram, s/o Qazi Ikramul Haq, r/o Gujranwala, Pakistan

8. Suhail Ahmad, s/o Shahbaz, r/o Dangikotli PoK

9. Saifullah Khalid, s/o Sher Khan, r/o Mang, PoK

10. Ruhail Ahmad, s/o Mohammad Zaman, r/o Kahuta, Pakistan

11. Sofi Jamal, s/o Bulund Khan, r/o Rawalpindi

12. Nasibullah, s/o Nazir Ahmad, r/o Afghanistan

13. Sultan Ahmad, s/o Bashir, r/o Khanabal, PoK

14. Mohammad Farooq Raju, s/o Mohammad Sharief, r/o Kotli

15. Sayed Khalid Hussain, s/o Sayed Khadim Husaain, r/o Panjgram, Muzaffarbad

16. Gulla Bhat, s/o Haka Bhat, r/o Kahuta, Pakistan

17. Bashirat Ali, s/o Ali Asghar, Bhimber, PoK

18. Sayed Sajjad Ali, s/o Shah Pal, r/o Mirpur

19. Mohammad Sayed Khan, s/o Mohammad Sulaiman, r/o Mehmanpoora Bagh

20. Abdul Hai, s/o Ajmal Malik, r/o Haqnawazsheikh, Pakistan

21. Mohammad Yussuf, s/o Mohammad Ayub, r/o Nowkote, Mirpur

22. Zaffar Ali, s/o Sabir Ali, r/o Gujara, Muzaffarabad

23. Alam Khan, s/o Bahram Khan, r/o Shredara, Muzaffarabd, PoK

24. Sultan Maina, s/o Gulam Jeelani, r/o Khanabal, PoK

25. Waqar Shah, s/o Imran Shah, r/o Hazara Sarhad

TRIAL OF HIJACKERS

Caution: it is a joke.

It is alleged in the indian media that any pakistani released or allowed to settle in pakistan as an out come of the present hijack will be tried as an accessory to hijack. He will be kept next to NS.

Re: zeemax #77

I thought the bullet proof vests were made of kevlar which is a highly rigid material. You deduce that the checkered pants are a bunch of swatches of a `bullet proof` fabric sown together. It sounds highly unlikely to me (not knowing anything about bullet proof technology)that a fabric (however heavy) can be bullet proof.

Do you know more about this? Do tell.

Also, if one were to believe that these goons smuggled in (in addition to the weapons)5 bullet proof vests and 5 pairs of `flak resistant`pants with them, it suddenly starts lending credence to your theory (food carts).

There is no way in hell five people working on their own can smuggle that much stuff in. Some agency has to be involved. Could it be ISI? or RAS?

I think if one started to lay down motives, possible gains, perceived risks, etc. one might be able to guess as to which agency was the more likely culprit.

Can anyone comment on this?

regards

It is a sad statement of times that such a horrific act should bring out the worst in us (from either side of the border).

It is ridiculous to blame either the Indian & Pakistani govts for having concocted this hijacking to score political points against each other. As an Indian I`m very disappointed to know our foreign minister cast the first stone.

I think no govt in its right mind could conceive of hijacking its own plane, cold bloodedly stab & kill a young man on his honeymoon (an Indian--no less), pay the Afgans 25000$, outrage a billion of its citizens--just to score points against Pakistan.

On the other hand, I dont believe the Pakistani govt would risk sending its agents to hijack a plane & risk international condemnation.Too many things can go wrong in a hijacking enterprise. The risks far outweigh any potential rewards.

What I do see here is that both Indians & Pakistanis (no matter how they feel about each others` nation) have condemned & are outraged by the hijackers. Face it guys, we all share the same values--regardless of religion.

Karakoram, your deduction is BRILLIANT! Undoubtedly, you have been managing the Pak economy these past few yrs--not to be rude--of course!!

Reply #: 73 Karakoram

Not commenting upon your racial slur, that was no ordinary outfit that hijacker was wearing. If you look closely, you can see the outline of a bulletproof vest underneath the red t-shirt. The chequered pattern on the pants is also bulletproof material sown into patches. You can see how the fabric falls with it´s weight. Wonder how they got all this stuff through security.

Conspiracy theories .....?

Dear Karakoram (aka Sherlok Holmes)

I don`t know if these folks are ISI agents or RAS (the name changed 6-7 yrs ago its Research & Analysis Section now) agents or free agents. But if you were a group of 5 people boarding in a group an Indian Airlines flight with the intent to hijack, would you all show up in Salwaar Kameez? Thodi to akl istemaal karo yaar!

Regards

Delhi coughed up $ 25,000 for landing rights



Josy Joseph in Delhi

Everything comes for a price in Kandahar -- even SOS missions.

Thus, New Delhi has had to pay the Taleban government $ 25,000 for permitting the Indian Airlines plane carrying negotiators and medics to land in Kandahar.

External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh has been in touch with his Taleban counterpart Mullah Wakil Ahmad Muttwakil. Sources told rediff.com that Kabul made it clear that India would have to pay for landing rights.

``(It was) an exorbitant demand, but there was no other way,`` Indian officials said.

The payment, they added, was made through ``diplomatic channels.``

The landing fees have disturbed some in the government. They feel the negotiators are walking the sword`s edge in Afghanistan. However, the government has maintained complete silence on the topic and praised the Taleban administration for co-operating with New Delhi.

The Indian team landed at Kandahar on December 27 after the Centre agreed to make the payment, sources said.

The delegation, comprising bureaucrats, engineers and doctors, started negotiating with the hijackers late on Monday night. Two rounds of direct talks were held the first day.

Now, nearly 48 hours later, four rounds are over -- but without much success.

Some more interesting updates:

Jailed Muslim cleric`s father condemns Indian plane hijackers

(Updated at 1900 PST)

KARACHI: The father of an Islamic scholar whose release has been demanded by the hijackers of an Indian airliner on Wednesday denounced the suspected Muslim militants and their demands.

Maulana Allah Bux, father of Maulana Azhar Masood said that neither his son nor himself ever supported terrorism. He denied Indian claims that Ibrahim, one of the hijackers, was a brother Azhar. He said his son Ibrahim left for Saudi Arabia 15 days ago and is still in the kingdom for pilgrimage.

Bux said that he wanted his son`s release from the prison but not through terrorism.

``We pray something happens good and they (hostages) return to their homes. So everybody should remain in peace. They have committed no crime, they are all tourists and should go to their homes and he (Azhar) should also come back home because he is innocent too,`` the added.

Wife of released hostage thanks Pakistani nation

(Updated at 1900 PST)

ISLAMABAD: Neelu Khurana, wife of the released hostage of hijacked Indian airlines plane, is full of praise and gratitude for Pakistani doctors for saving the life of her diabetic husband Anil Khurana, sources said on Wednesday.

She said, ``We thank everybody, they (Pakistani government and people) have been very nice to us. They are very humble and very hospitable.`` Expressing her feeling after meeting her husband Neelu said, she was feeling as she is in her own country.

Neelu`s uncle, Kewal Prakash Anand while giving his comments said, ``We feel that they (Doctors) have saved life of our patient. We are grateful to them.`` He said, the condition of the patient was controlled only because of the doctors and the medical care given to him.

Khurana was released on Saturday by the hijackers due to his deteriorating health condition at Kanadahar airport.

(NEWS, Pakistan)

One person who really deserves credit in this whole ordeal is the pilot of the aircraft. He seems to have handled everything very professionally.

WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE/CLUES continued

Jay:

It seems that the hijacking is an Indian operation. The NY times site carried a picture of one of the hijackers that had disembarked from the aircraft. He was wearing chequered pants with a red shirt. Not to be rude but I think we can safely assume that only an Indian would dress that way. The least the RAW could have done was made them wear shalwar kameezs. Big oversight.

Peace.

Shooting out the tires of an Airbus which is on the ground at Amritsar.

Sir,

The chain of command goes something like this. Military ATC and Civilian ATC getting involved in handing over tracking of the aircraft. Also involved are the Ministries of Civil Aviation, Home Ministry, Defence Ministry, PMO, Foreign Ministry Indian Airlines, Airbus representatives, etc. etc., on the Federal Level and then the myriad authorities on the State Level.

I would find it exceedingly difficult to believe that somehow, in a space of about 90 minutes, the information would be gathered, analysed, consolidated and escalated up the chain of command, and then down to position a sniper on the ground to shoot out the tyres. Considering the fact that it took the powers to be MONTHS to figure out that there was an infiltration/invasion in the Kargil Area, the above scenario is difficult to believe in.

Cheers

bd

WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE

Now it has emerged that Azhar is not a pakistani, he was having a portugese passport when arrested and should be a Portugese. This should shut the indians up who claim any pak involvement in the hijacking.

The hijacking is also found to have a welcome side effect for General Electric, makers of the aircraft engine, the engines have been shut down after 70 hours of continuous operation. Even during development testing, they are never run this long, no such conditions are envisaged and is not a certification requirement. In terms of durability, GE can learn something new out of this hijack.

No harm in seing the positive in the new year.

An unbiased opinion. I think this sums up the handling of this incident quite well:

``A terrifying thought

Brian Cloughley

Every country has plans to deal with disasters, be these natural or man-made One essential component of such plans is an effective system for communicating information and decisions, for no plan is going to work if politicians and officials are unaware of what is taking place or are unable to convey orders for resolution of a crisis. What is worrying about India`s planning is that in the first days of the recent hijacking there were neither good communications nor any coherent decision-making.

India`s draft nuclear doctrine states that weapons are to ``be tightly controlled and released for use at the highest political level`` and that ``An effective and survivable command and control system with requisite flexibility and responsiveness shall be in place,`` which is all good and well--but if India can`t respond efficiently to an aircraft hijacking, what on earth might happen in the event of a nuclear crisis?

The story of flight IC-814 is one of regrettable indecision on the part of India`s leaders, but, of equal importance, demonstrates that its communications systems are inadequate to cope with a matter of national importance. The entire effort of politicians and bureaucrats appeared to be aimed at blaming everyone else for what was an Indian responsibility. Some comments were bizarre--as were, it must be said, statements from some senior Pakistanis who should know better than to indulge in groundless rhetoric--and none was helpful in furthering understanding or resolution of the crisis. There is no kinder word for it: it was a shambles.

Indian authorities were notified of the hijack at 1655 hrs (Indian time) on December 24. Pakistan refused permission for the plane to land at Lahore, and it landed at Amritsar at 1905 hrs. So New Delhi had over two hours to consider what action should be taken if the aircraft landed at an Indian airport, or, indeed, what to do if the hijackers had taken any other action that might have been imaginable in the circumstances. There is a high-level Special Action Group for this purpose. No matter what oratorical tactics have been employed by Mr Jaswant Singh and the host of spokesmen who have commented on the matter, the fact is that the aircraft was on the ground in Indian territory for forty minutes and nothing whatever was done to intercede with the hijackers who, it was reported by the pilot (the only person who comes out well in the entire affair; a good and brave man), had started killing people. The unravelling began when the plane was allowed to leave Amritsar. It would have been a simple matter to stop the takeoff: there are any number of ways that this could have been done, and there can be no excuse on the part of the Indian government for failing in its duty to its citizens.

India then asked Pakistan to permit the plane to land at Lahore, which it did. Pakistan, knowing well that whatever course of action it took it would be blamed by India for the entire episode, wanted nothing more nor less than the plane to leave its territory as quickly as possible. The SSG`s counter-hijack teams are efficient, and the plane was isolated in a remote area of the airfield, so the stage could not have been better set for a classic bargaining-negotiating process, with the soldiers standing by, waiting their chance to strike. But the internal problems thus generated would have been enormous. The so-called `religious` parties would have roused the rabble for their own purposes, and the country would have been torn with dissent, violence and riot. The fact that the hijackers are murdering terrorists who do not deserve to be called Muslims would have been neither here nor there. So the plane was refuelled and allowed to leave. It was then that farce began to intrude on human drama.

There were statements in India from anyone and everyone who wanted to open his mouth. The prime minister informed the nation that the hostages were ``safe and sound`` which was a singularly fatuous phrase given the shrieking terror of their circumstances, and his security adviser Brajesh Misra said that India had asked Pakistan that the plane land at Lahore, which should have gone some way to defusing the countless conspiracy theories, but of course did not. These two figures should have been the only people to speak until an official spokesman was appointed. It is essential in a hijacking that there be only one voice heard, for conflicting statements can only produce confusion; and so they did.

A dozen voices pronounced and pontificated, and not the least of these was Jaswant Singh whose energy, if nothing else, was notable. He was everywhere, saying everything, and, not surprisingly, there were contradictions. His embrace of the Taliban on Monday was an interesting change to his former position, and Reuters reported that he gave a briefing that day to ``senior editors of domestic media organisations,`` after which one of them, the United News of India, promptly reported that ``highly placed government sources`` stated that ``the entire operation was fully facilitated by Pakistan.`` The man wasn`t even trying to disguise his tracks, and it was a self-demeaning attempt to deflect enormous criticism from the incompetent manner in which Mr Singh and the government were handling the whole affair.

Television cover around the world showed relatives of the hostages being menaced by lathi-carrying police outside Delhi airport at the same time as yet another spokesman was saying that ``we are sure that we will get [the hostages] back to the country`` and the Press Trust of India, quoting ``official sources`` following Mr Singh`s private briefing, regurgitated the handout line that India did ``not rule out the possibility that certain elements of Afghanistan, hand-in-glove with Pakistan`s ISI, were sympathetic to the hijackers.`` Anything for a cheap headline, apparently--especially if it might help disguise gross and embarrassing inefficiency.

This has been a terrible affair, and it has shown that the higher echelons of Indian government and officialdom are clumsy and incapable of crisis management. Nothing worked, everybody chattered, nobody took responsibility, there was no leadership at any level (except in the cockpit), the initiative was lost, and Mr Jaswant Singh sowed his venom in the hope he might appear squeaky-clean against the justifiable clamour of the victims` relatives. It was almost inevitable that the plane sent to Afghanistan broke down, and predictable that a back-up was not available. But the thing that should really worry everyone is that this is a country that says it is capable of commanding and controlling a diverse arsenal of nuclear weapons in a national emergency. If they can`t manage to