Kashmiri separatists deny involvement
An alliance of Kashmiri separatist groups claimed it is not involved in the hijacking of Flight 814. 'None of the militant groups engaged in Kashmir are linked with this hijack nor does our faith and our sacred struggle permit the murder of any innocent person,' a statement issued by the 14-group Muttahida Jihad Council in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan said.
'This hijacking can be a heinous plot to cover up the running of state terrorism by the Indian army in Kashmir,' the statement said, claiming the hijack was an Indian government conspiracy.
The Lashkar-e-Toiba, which was earlier suspected of masterminding the hijack, also denied its involvement in the air piracy. The Lashkar has been behind many recent attacks in Kashmir, including the attack on the army headquarters in Srinagar where several soldiers died.
The Islamic Salvation Front in Kashmir is shrouded in mystery and J&K watchers do not have an idea about its origins.
The Indian Airlines plane left the Al-Minhat military base at 0447 Dubai Time (0617 IST) after taking in 30,000 litres of aviation turbine fuel and appeared to be headed for Kabul. Later, however, it landed in Kandahar, though the reason for the change of plan was not clear. India does not recognise the Taliban regime and has no diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
Taliban spokesman Nurullah Zardar said the Indian government had requested permission to allow the plane to land in Afghanistan because the Airbus was running short of fuel. Advani had earlier said the flight to Afghanistan was "a matter of concern."
Asked if the hijackers had any links with the Taliban, Zardar said, "None whatsoever." He said the hijackers wanted to land at Kabul or Kandahar last night, but neither airport has the appropriate landing gear after being ravaged in that nation's civil war.
The plane has already taken off and landed eight times in less than 24 hours. And while international safety regulations prohibit a pilot from flying more than seven hours, Captain Saran and his crew have been at the job for well over 32 hours now.
Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav left Dubai this evening in a special IA Airbus 320 with the 25 passengers who had been released by the hijackers.
The aircraft, with 25 of the 26 released passengers on board, took off at 1950 IST from Dubai. One of the injured passengers is still in a Dubai hospital.
The take-off of the plane, which was initially scheduled to reach New Delhi by 1830 IST, was delayed due to Yadav's insistence that Rupin Katyal's body should be taken in the aircraft. The body was handed over to Indian authorities after completion of formalities, sources said.
The special plane is expected to reach New Delhi at 2300 IST.
Addressing the media in Dubai, Yadav quoted the released passengers as saying there were six hijackers. Earlier reports had put their number at five. However, Jaswant Singh said indications were that there were seven hijackers.
The passengers were released following negotiations by a high-powered team of UAE government representatives led by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalifa bin Zayed al Nahyan.
Meanwhile, Ram Chameli, the mother of some of the passengers on board Flight 814, has threatened to immolate herself at Delhi airport if her children are not released to her. She wants the government to accede to the hijackers's demands and get the passengers released.
Rakesh Mehta, a passenger who flew from Kathmandu on a Royal Nepal Airlines flight on Friday soon after Flight 814 left Nepal, told reporters at Delhi airport that there was virtually no security at the Tribhuvan international airport. Mehta, whose colleague Anup Sharma is aboard Flight 814, said, "I am not surprised the hijackers got away carrying the weapons. Even the men manning the x-ray machine did not look interested in what we were carrying."
Additional reportage: UNI
INFORMATION:
Contact numbers at Delhi airport for information:
011-565-3579
011-565-2011 (Extension 2508)
011-569 6201
011-565 2173
Click here for the list of passengers released in Dubai
Click here for the list of passengers on the hijacked plane