DATE=12/31/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDIA HIJACK (L)
NUMBER=2-257650
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The week-long hostage crisis aboard the Indian
Airliner in southern Afghanistan has ended - after
India met part of the hijackers demands. India freed
three jailed Islamic militants, including a Pakistani-
born cleric (Maulana Masood Azhar) in exchange for the
release of 155 hostages. India's Foreign Minister is
escorting the hostages back to New Delhi were they are
expected to arrive at about 15 hours 30 G-M-T. V-O-
A's Jim Teeple has more from the Indian capital.
Text: Three Islamic militants were taken from Indian
jails under tight security and flown to Kandahar
onboard a plane with India's Foreign Minister Jaswant
Singh.
India's National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra, who
announced the deal, says what happens to the hijackers
will be left to Taleban authorities in Afghanistan.
/// MISHRA ACTUALITY ///
The hijackers are in Afghanistan, the Taleban
will deal with them.
/// END ACTUAILTY ///
The hijackers had originally demanded the release of
36 Kashmiri separatist militants. Militants have been
fighting Indian security forces in Kashmir for a
decade, seeking either independence, or union with
Pakistan for the overwhelmingly Muslim Indian state.
The Indian Airlines plane was hijacked last Friday
shortly after it left Katmandu, Nepal bound for New
Delhi. After several stops it eventually landed in
Kandahar, Afghanistan where conditions on board
steadily deteriorated.
Kanti Bajpai a foreign policy expert in New Delhi says
the Indian government was in a difficult position and
had few options but to agree to some of the hijackers
demands.
/// BAJPAI ACTUALITY ///
I think that all said and done the government
has played the shots about right, on most
counts. I think bringing 160 people home from
two countries away in a situation where the
government had very little control over what was
happening on the ground, over seven days now, I
think shows a sensible handling of policy.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
India's government was under growing pressure from
hostage families to solve the crisis - concerned over
worsening conditions onboard the plane. Indian
technicians, whom the hijackers allowed to service the
plane in Kandahar, said it had been heavily damaged
and could not fly.
On their last day of captivity as temperatures dipped
below freezing, the plane's engines completely shut
down forcing the hostages to sit in total darkness in
freezing conditions during their last few hours of
captivity. (Signed)
NEB/JLT/JO
31-Dec-1999 09:08 AM EDT (31-Dec-1999 1408 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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