Author: Agencies
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: October 20, 2001
Introduction: Advani says India
will fight its own battle against terror
Asserting that India would fight
its 'own' battle against terrorism with a 'firm hand', home minister L
K Advani today ruled out for 'now' hot pursuit of terrorists and their
camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir saying that New Delhi at present wanted
the global war against the menace to 'succeed'.
'At this present moment we are not
considering hot pursuit although under the international law a country
can legitimately undertake such action if attacked by enemy,' he told a
press conference at the foreign correspondents' club here when asked if
India was contemplating hot pursuit of Pakistan-based terrorists.
Declaring that 'it is primarily
our own task to fight and defeat' terrorism directed against India, Advani
said 'we shall do so with a firm hand'. At the same time, the home minister
said an international ethos and climate created against terrorism would
help India in its long-drawn campaign against the scourge.
Asked if India had received any
assurance from US secretary of state Colin Powell earlier this week that
countries like Pakistan, which were part of the global coalition, did not
provide a safe haven to terrorists and "hijackers, he said 'we did not
seek any such assurance. Pakistan understandably is on the US side owing
to its geography and purely strategic reasons. 'We do not find fault with
Pakistan being a frontline state. But the global community must ensure
that it eliminates terrorism in all its aspects,' he said.
In an obvious reference to Pakistan,
Advani said the US and other nations in the international coalition must
ensure that those who were part of the war against terrorism are themselves
not guilty of providing a safe haven to terrorists, hijackers and organisers
of terrorist camps. While the world community would have to look beyond
the current campaign to succeed in striking at the root of terrorism, 'Pakistan
will have to, for its own good and for establishing peaceful and cooperative
relations with India, soon bury the hypocrisy of supporting terrorism in
India and claiming to fight it in Afghanistan.
'That is why, Prime Minister Vajpayee
raised the issue of cross-border terrorism prominently in his talks with
president Pervez Musharraf at the Agra summit,' Advani said. He said there
is 'ample intelligence and analytical evidence' to show that the Taliban
regime in Afghanistan, which has provided safe haven to Osama bin Laden
and others of the Al Qaida network on its soil, was the creation of Pakistan's
ISI.
'And the very same ISI has also
been the planner, instigator and supporter of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
and other parts of India,' he said.
Asked about reported links of Omar
Sheikh, one of the terrorists released during the 1999 Kandahar hijacking,
with those responsible for the September 11 attacks in the us, he said
New Delhi has provided and exchanged intelligence inputs with Washington
regarding Pakistan's support to the Taliban and terrorist groups in Kashmir.
Asked about the pro-active policy of the government against terrorists
in J&K, Advani said 'this will continue. Security forces will go all
out and identify terrorists and take action against them.'
On the threats by Pakistan-based
terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad to strike in Delhi and Mumbai besides
J&K, he said comprehensive security measures have been taken and that
the issue was discussed at the conference of state chief secretaries and
directors general of police earlier this month.
The home minister disagreed with
a questioner that people in J&K were dissatisfied and said 'it is a
mistake' to think on those terms. - Agencies
