India pledges support to fight terrorism

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 14. The Government today strongly signalled that India was willing to help ``in every possible way'' the global fight against terrorism even as it pressed its long-held view that terrorist acts against any one country cannot be seen as problems of that country alone.

The increasing overlap of internal security matters with external issues in relation to terrorism was significantly underlined when the new U.S. Ambassador, Mr. Robert Blackwill, met the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K.Advani, at his North Block office this evening. Earlier, he presented his credentials to the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan.

Hours before Mr. Blackwill met Mr. Advani - where the fallout of the horrendous events of Tuesday's terrorist attacks on the U.S. was discussed - the Home Minister received the Israeli envoy, Mr. David Aphek.

At the 45-minute meeting with Mr. Blackwill, the entire gamut of issues relating to security where the two countries could cooperate closely came up for discussion. Emerging from the meeting, Mr. Blackwill said he ``welcomed the closer cooperation'' between the two countries to combat global terrorism'' and Mr. Advani stated that ``there was no question of holding back''.

Coincidentally, today was observed as the American National Day of Remembrance for the victims of terrorist attacks on New York. Mr. Blackwill had remarked there that by ``working together'', India and the U.S. could prevail against terrorism. He has postponed his return to Washington for consultations and indicated that he would remain here ``to work with my Indian colleagues to counter the terrorist scourge''.

Both at the level of the Government and at the level of the main ruling party, the BJP, there were strong indications that India would do everything possible not to allow loss of momentum to the new global determination to fight terrorism ``together.'' At the same time, there was a note of `sadness' that for many years India's voice against the dangers of terrorism, especially when it is practised in the name of religion, was not heard as well as it should have been. It was emphasised again and again by the Government and the party that not only those directly involved in terrorist acts, but also those (countries) harbouring and aiding terrorists should be punished.

It was indicated that already there was active sharing of intelligence over terrorist activities, terrorist training camps across the border and groups that were operating in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere. While the Government was willing to participate in any global action against terrorism, it was made amply clear that this should not be seen as a sign of weakness, for India had been single-handedly fighting the deadly proxy war in the Valley for over a decade and was capable of carrying on its own battle. Although the serial blasts in Mumbai in March 1993 may not have been as deadly as the strikes in New York, it was a pointer to the chaos that the terrorist groups tried to bring about in the heart of India's commercial capital.

Top sources in the Government today indicated that India was waiting to see what concrete action the U.S. was planning. While India would have no hesitation in cooperating, it would like to see ``the situation handled in a manner that would also be beneficial to us''. Even before the New York tragedy India had set up joint working groups to combat terrorism with several countries.

By going along with America, India would not be putting all its eggs in one basket, it was hinted. After all, terrorism had now demonstrated that even the superpower was not invincible. The situation had changed dramatically and it was no longer a question of some ugly incidents happening in some part of the Third World which could easily be ignored by the First World.

The BJP leaders were more direct. The party general secretary, Mr. Narendra Modi, said, ``American President George Bush should ask Pakistan why it harboured those responsible for the Mumbai blasts of 1993 and why the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar also found shelter there.'' The party wanted the U.S. to ``specify how it will punish Pakistan''. Another general secretary, Ms. Maya Singh, said the terrorist attacks on the U.S. presented a grim challenge to humanity ``which we have to accept''. It is for everyone to strengthen international opinion against terrorism and help root it out.

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