DATE=1/20/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244413
TITLE=INDIA-U-S-ARRESTS (L-UPDATE)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S COUNTER-TERRORISM EXPERTS HAVE ARRIVED IN NEW DELHI
TO INVESTIGATE WHAT INDIAN POLICE SAYS WAS A PLOT TO BOMB THE U-S
EMBASSY AND OTHER DIPLOMATIC BUILDINGS. VOA CORRESPONDENT
DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN REPORTS.
TEXT: A U-S EMBASSY SPOKESWOMAN SAYS EXPERTS FROM SEVERAL
FEDERAL AGENCIES ARRIVED TUESDAY TO MAKE AN EVALUATION OF THE
ALLEGED PLOT.
INDIAN NEWSPAPERS QUOTE POLICE AS SAYING THEY ARRESTED FOUR
SUSPECTS WHO WERE PLANNING TO BOMB THE U-S EMBASSY IN NEW DELHI,
AND THE CONSULATES IN MADRAS AND CALCUTTA. THE ARRESTS WERE MADE
SOMETIME THIS MONTH. POLICE IDENTIFY THE ALLEGED RINGLEADER OF
THE PLOT AS A BANGLADESHI NAMED SAYED ABU NASIR.
POLICE SAY THE BANGLADESHI IS BELIEVED TO HAVE TIES TO PAKISTAN'S
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. NEW DELHI FREQUENTLY ACCUSES PAKISTAN OF
PLOTTING VIOLENCE IN INDIA. ISLAMABAD DENIES THIS AND ACCUSES
INDIAN AGENTS OF OPERATING IN PAKISTAN.
AUTHORITIES ALSO SAY MORE SUSPECTS ARE AT LARGE, AND THEY ARE
BELIEVED TO BE FOLLOWERS OF OSAMA BIN LADEN WHOM THE UNITED
STATES ACCUSES OF BOMBING THE U-S EMBASSIES IN KENYA AND
TANZANIA. MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE WERE KILLEDIN THE AUGUST
BOMBINGS. OSAMA BIN LADEN HAS DECLARED A HOLY WAR ON THE UNITED
STATES AND IS BELIEVED TO BE FUNDING AN ANTI-AMERICAN TERRORIST
NETWORK.
EARLIER, WESTERN SECURITY OFFICIALS SAID THE INDIAN NEWSPAPER
STORIES ABOUT THE NEW BOMBING PLOT ARE HIGHLY EXAGGERATED.
HOWEVER THE U-S EMBASSY SPOKESWOMAN IN NEW DELHI SAYS ALL SUCH
SECURITY THREATS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. SHE SAYS THE
COUNTERTERRORISM EXPERTS WILL ASSESS THE VALIDITY OF INDIAN
EVIDENCE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAB/KL
20-Jan-99 9:01 AM EST (1401 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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