Target all outfits like Al-Qaeda: Jaswant

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, OCT. 2. The visiting External Affairs and Defence Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, during his talks with the U.S. President, Mr. George Bush, and the National Security Advisor, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, on Monday put forth the depth and width of India's understanding of terrorism, especially as it pertains to the subcontinent; and is said to have rather forcefully argued that no distinction can be made in the fight against the global scourge.

``The President certainly gave the impression that he was fully aware of India's sensitivities,'' a diplomat told The Hindu. Further, Mr. Bush is said to have told Mr. Singh that the recent developments had no bearing whatsoever on the directions of India-U.S. relations.

The Bush administration is aware of what is happening in the subcontinent by way of Pakistan's involvement in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

It is also aware of the Islamabad-Kabul link and that Pakistan's top military brass is in constant touch with the Taliban. Pakistan is closely being watched, it is said here.

Mr. Jaswant Singh is said to have told Mr. Bush that the different manifestations of the Al-Qaeda would have to be tackled, going beyond Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden. Both Mr. Vajpayee's letter and Mr. Singh directly questioned Pakistan's credentials in the fight against terrorism.

But India has also been making it clear to the U.S. that its raising of the terrorism issue as it pertains to the subcontinent and Pakistan is not meant to put Washington in a difficult situation vis-a-vis Islamabad in the current campaign.

The U.S. has been told that while New Delhi fully understood Washington's compulsions in the immediate context, the longer term should not be forgotten or brushed aside.

According to Mr. Singh, Mr. Bush agreed that the fight against terrorism ``cannot be uni-dimensional or uni-directional''.

On the general and overall situation in Afghanistan, in public comments Mr. Singh said the Taliban must go, but the international community must be careful about how it goes - a reference to sure failure if the alternative is not broadbased, including all sections of the Afghan society.

If the high point of Mr. Singh's itinerary on Monday was the lengthy conversation with Mr. Bush in the course of a meeting with Dr. Rice, today he meets the Vice-President, Mr. Dick Cheney, the Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, and the Defence Secretary, Mr. Donald Rumsfeld. Mr. Singh is also slated to meet top law-makers on Capitol Hill.

'Correct decision'

PTI reports from New Delhi:

Mr. Singh said the Government's decision two years back to release Maulana Masood Azhar, now heading the Jaish-e-Mohammad, in return for the release of 178 passengers of the hijacked Indian airlines plane to Kandahar, was a difficult but correct action.

``The Government had no option at that point of time ... It was a very difficult decision. The Government acted correctly,'' Mr. Singh told CNN.

He was asked whether the release of Azhar, whose JeM has claimed responsibility for Monday's suicide car bomb attack outside Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, had been an act of weakness and encouraged terrorism globally including attacks in the U.S.

Mr. Singh, who had flown in a special aircraft ferrying the three terrorists to Kandahar, said the hijackers had originally demanded the release of 36 hardcore militants and $ 360 million but this had been whittled down to freeing the three terrorists.

Squarely blaming Pakistan for encouraging JeM, he said without its support, the organisation could not have operated from that country. After his release, Azhar had moved to Pakistan and established his base there for operations against India, he added.

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