The Hindu : U.S. welcomes India's anti-terrorism law

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 29, 2002

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U.S. welcomes India's anti-terrorism law

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington march 28. Even as the Prevention of Terrorism Act has come under severe criticism in India by the Opposition parties, the Bush administration has given its stamp of ``approval'' to the measure saying that India ``seems'' to have gone about the whole thing in a ``constitutional way''.

The State Department Spokesman, Richard Boucher, was asked to comment on the ``controversial anti-terrorist bill'' and also on the Opposition charge that the Government of India had acted under American pressure.

Mr. Boucher did not answer the second part of the question. ``... we do think it is important for Governments to take steps against terrorism, to do it in a constitutional way... other Governments have also passed legislation that makes clear that they are going to take efforts to strengthen their legal systems, as the Indians have just done, within constitutional bounds, so that we all have more effective tools to use against the threat of terrorism,'' Mr. Boucher said.

``We do believe that that can be done consistent with democratic principles. We have done that. The Europeans have done that. And India seems to have done that as well,'' the Spokesman said.

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