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The Rediff Special

'We should do an operation a la Entebbe whatever the consequences'

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Nightmare of Flight 814, Message Board. Views verbatim, edited lightly.

Name: gaurav
Email:realcooldude@rediffmail.com
Message: in my opinion the government should try to pressurize the taliban governmrnt in afghanistan over allowing an indian commando team to burst into the aircraft ..... if the talibans agree( which i think is imposible )...o.k.. if not then we should do an operation a la entebbe whatever the consequences may be....coz it's not just a matter of 160 lives ...it's a matter of nation's honour... if the government gives in to thier demands then... we should be prepared for more ic 814's...

Name:Karuna
Email:
karuna@hotmail.com
Message: The government completely failed to take any action when the plane was actually in the Indian territory--Amritsar. It is very very sad. Karuna

Name: Nagesh Charka
Email: nageshwarc@yahoo..com
Message: Govt. should make all efforts to stop plane for any further take-offs, negotiate with hijackers and bring all the passengers in a special plane from current place at the earliest. Do not let the Saran and his team continue to command the flight. They should get a BIG break in life, hats-off to Saran and his team for their patience and will. Nagesh

Name:
Email: sjhaj@hotmail.com
Message: It is time Indian forces are put on high alert along the western front. A general mobilization of forces is in order. Let us open up a front from Kashmir to Karachi. The consequences for this action by Musharaf AKA the dummy AKA the stupid CE needs to be serious and final. This is Kargil under a different cover. We must not enter the New Year and a new century under fear. Let us see the Pakistanis are willing to pay the price for nurturing these bastards. Indians keep on weeping about a seat on Security Council, this is the time to prove that they have the balls to deserve it. No body wants wimps on the Security Council. When the Paki's will know that the consequences for their actions will be higher then the action it self.

Name: nishrin
Email: nishrin27@hotmail.com
Message: Indian government should fulfill their demand save innocent peoples life.

Name: Abhi Sashittal
Email: abhi28@hotmail.com
Message: First of all we should not give in to their demands. Secondly we should take all the terrorists whose release is being negotiated, to a open piece of land and should be assasinated. all relatives and friends of any suspected hijaker must be imprisoned without food or water till these guys give up, after they do these relatives and friends should be shot in both legs!

Name: Abhijit Mitra
Email: abhi_mitra@hotmail.com
Message: The govt should tell the world they are prepared to return the militants; get them into a van and then fake an accident in which they all die. Once the militants die in an accident, the GOI may be able to get the hijackers to present more reasonable demands.

Name: sky
Email:
Message: The Indian Govt shud talk to the hijackers in their own language. if they kill one person on board, one of their brethren in indian jails gets killed! thats the way this situation shud be dealt.

Name: Krishna
Email: kvmoha@yahoo.com
Message: India missed the one chance it had to defuse the hostage situation on its soil when the plane landed for nearly an hour in Amritsar for refueling. As voiced by Maj. General Afsir Karim and KPS Gill, it is hard to understand why the government could not have acted swiftly to delay the takeoff from Amritsar and try to overpower the militants using NSG commandos, who are specifically trained to do such operations. This would have definitely resolved the hostage issue favorably, since we now know that the hijackers were mostly brandishing knives and "1940 vintage" pistols. What a shame to Indian crisis management and security officials!

However, after all being said and done we must now focus on how best to resolve the hostage crisis keeping in mind the safety of the passengers who have been through nearly 36 hours of horror, suffering, frustration, and anguish and continue to do so as we speak. The fact that the plane is parked in the backyard of Taliban leader Mullah Omar who is known to openly declare hostility against India, U.S., and Russia doesn't help either. The first priority for the Indian government is to get the plane out of Afghanistan before a meaningful dialogue with the hijackers and a suitable course of action can be planned out.

The decision taken by New Delhi to involve UN in the mediation efforts is a step in the right direction more so because the hostages are in a country with which Indian government has no diplomatic relations. The best course of action would be to have the hijackers take off the plane from Afghanistan and land preferably on Indian soil or in a neutral country as precondition to starting a dialogue. It should be borne in mind that no matter how ruthless and well planned the hijackers might reportedly be, their threats to crash the plane are just that. Threats! After having the plane landed at a strategically advantageous location for us, while continuing the dialogue with the hijackers a well orchestrated operation should be launched to overpower the hijackers and put an end to the hostage situation. While there is no denying that this approach is wrought with a certain amount of risk, this happens to be the only way to respond to this dastardly act of terrorism.

Name: KK
Email: kk@hotmail.com
Message: Though the lives of 160 passengers are precious, Indian government should not release the terroritsts. If and if India releases the terrorists, India ceases to become a country and becomes a surrenderer to terrorist. And if the terrorists blast the passengers, India should publicly hang all the terrorisits who are in the jail.

Name: abcd
Email: sdffg@rediff.com
Message:Kill those terrorists in the jail.

Name: Santosh Pulickal
Email: spulickal@hotmail.com
Message: Meet the terrorist demands and get the passengers free at any cost. Sack the responsible airport authorities, for not updating the phone numbers of the Security forces and thus leading to delays in taking prompt action to diffuse the situation .

Name: Patel, Satyesh
Email: patesat@kuntrynet.com
Message: The GoI should not, whatever the cost, release the terrorists as demanded by the hijackers. I know it sounds utterly callous but, hindsight should guide GoI's actions especially when they look at V. P. Singh government's bumbling responses in similar circumstances. No need to get burned twice here! Give them a surrender deadline and if they, the hijackers, refuse to surrender then HANG Masood AND HIS ILK ON LIVE DD TV, ASAP. As I see it, the hijacker's goal, at max, is to gain the release of Masood and party, while the GoI's goal is pretty obvious- safe return of ALL the passengers, which is not very likely given the fact that they are sitting in Kandahar and what has transpired allready over the last thirty or so hours. And while they are hanging them, GoI might even consider furnishing some of the CMG bureaucrats(?) with the same hospitality!!!

Name: Mr.Amzat Khan
Email: amarnadi@usa.net.in
Message: Get the flight in India and Kill the Hijackers.Or go to afgan and let allow the U.N. commandos take the militants.

Name: r.rahul
Email: rahulramki@rediffmail.com
Message: the govt should negotiate hard with the hijackers, the priority of the govt should be the safe return of all the passengers. the govt should ask help from the taliban govt to free al the passengers.

Name: SATISH NAMBIAR
Email: satishvc@hotmail.com
Message: Government must send Commandos & fight the with hijackers and capture them . Kill them inch by inch. We may loose some people (may be 5-10) but we should not leave any prisoners.

Name: matt
Email: matt@xyz.com
Message: Indian govt. should sent an armed commando into the flight.

Name: Sanjay
Email:
Message: Send Black cat Commandoes to Aghanistan and put presure on International Community to declare Pakistan a terrorist state.

Name: Hemant Budhivant
Email: budhivant@email.com
Message: Government is doing the right thing by not accepting the terrorist demands, coz you can't say after realease their men from prison they r gonna let our men out..... I appealed to the people of INDIA not to get immotional carried away, but think about the security forces who led their lives while arresting the terrorist. We have capable men in country who can release the our men from their clutches , on the name of islam. Nothing wrong in playing their own game against them, coz on the name of islam they have done this.

Name: Bhima Patel
Email: Bhima8@hotmail.com
Message: I think that the Govt. of India should seriously think of meeting the demands of the hijackers, by releasing the prisoners that they want. But at the same time make these freed prisoners consume a poison that would take affect a little while after they prisoners are released, to give time for the hijacked passengers to be released. Or start executing the Islamic terrorists in jail already. Maybe 10 for every one dead hostage!

Name: SATISH NAMBIAR
Email: satishvc@hotmail.com
Message: Government must send Commandos & fight the with hijackers and capture them . Kill them inch by inch. We may loose some people (may be 5-10) but we should not leave any prisoners.

Name: Roshan
Email: rps_prra@hotmail.com
Message: the government should have talks with the leaders in pakistan and if the talks fail, they should use force to mainatain our supremecy in the region.

Name: Vikas Apte
Email: lnapte@hotmail.com
Message: Govt. has made a big mistake of keeping alive the militant in the jail for which the deal at the cost of the innocent passengers is being made. Had they shot him, which they are doing now, in so many encounters, this hijacking deal would never have happened. At this moment they have to release him to save the lives of innocent passengers. After the passengers are safe, they should shoot all the militants captured , in open square after Friday Namaz like they do in Saudi Arabia, so that such terrorists will think twice before doing such dastardly act.

Name: Aslam
Email: hunani@hotmail.com
Message: This i feel is the total intelligence network failure for its almost 40 hrs. and the indian govt. is not in a position to do anything and has to seek the help of the UN, if we had our intelligence presence felt in our neighbouring countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, then it would have become much more easier for us to determine who the hijackers are & should have been in a position to negotiate with them on our own, no need to wait for 40 hrs.

Name: Srini
Email: sjasti@yahoo.com
Message: The govt. should negotiate & should not release any militants. I remember once in the past a ministers daughter (in the 80's - Rubiayya Sayeed) was in a hijacked plane & the govt agreed to the highjackers demands & planes were being hijacked every week. The govt. should be very stern in dealing with the hijackers. And also work towards the release of passengers.

Name: Srinivas Bharadwaj
Email: kurukshetra98@worldnet.att.net
Message: The Govt. should look to tackle militant organizations by once again gaining full control of the streets of Kashmir's cities. Once this is done the weapons in the Valley must be all removed and the flow stopped. If the BJP Govt. cannot achieve this in 2 years, they should consider resigning. Only a "we mean business" govt. can tackle this problem. On the present situation, they should offer the MM Azhar for all the passengers and end the siege. srini

Name: Hari Krishnan
Email: hari_krishnan@rediffmail.com
Message: INDIA HAS SACRIFICED SEVERAL VALUABLE PEOPLE IN THE PAST. AND PROBABLY CAN AFFORD TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE. WE MUST NOT GIVE INTO THE PRESSURE POSED BY THESE FANATICS AND RELEASE THESE MADMEN WHO IN TURN WILL THREATEN THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS. IM SURE THE GOVT IS ACTING RIGHT NOW BUT ITS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT HANDLING IT AS THE COUNTRY THE PLANE IS IN IS ITSELF RULED BY BRAINLESS FANATICS WHO COULDNT CARE LESS. THE WORLD KNOWS HOW DESPARATE OUR NEIGHBOURS ARE. WHEN THE ORDEAL GETS OVER EVERY ONE OF THESE HELD TERRORISTS SHOULD BE CASTRATED AND HANGED IN PUBLIC.

Name: Sunny D'sa
Email: sunny34ton
Message: Release the militants as per the demand of the highjackers. Get our people back to India immediately & then start operation cleanup in Kashmir. If required start a war with whosoever it is necessary.

Name: Murthy
Email: krishna
Message:

Name: Vineet
Email: jovineet@emirates.net.ae
Message: Lives of innocent people do matter but think of the thousands that these terrorists will kill once they are released. The Government should not bow down to pressure and use their negotiating skills and a commando operation (with UN help). The jailed terrorists should never be released. If it was China's aircraft, by now they would have shot the terrorist in jail and sent a message to the hijackers.

Name: Murthy
Email: krishna_vj@hotmail.com
Message: The only country in our region where they could do these nasty operations is Afagan.So, the Govt should be extremely cautious in its approach to deal with and see the that all the passengers are safe.Whatever the Govt do the these brutals shoildn't be spared.

Name: mayank
Email: smayank90@hotmail.com
Message: Kill every militant in indian jails. And use commando force to get free the hostages. And Kill all 5 hijeckers

Name: Manish Bhatia
Email: bhatia@vjcs.com
Message: Why didn't these idiots just storm the plane when it was in Amritsar. These stupid bureaucrats probably created a file and are passing it around to take a decision. The decision is a no-brainer. Storm the plan and get these terrorists. We should take a few casualties now - and let everyone know that India doesn't deal with terrorists. We shouldn't repeat the mistake made by the biggest hypocrites of them all - VP Singh and Mufti Mohammed Sayeed.

Name: manisha pachisia
Email: muditap@hotmail.com
Message: the govt should consider the lives of the hostages as most important . so they should be set free

Name: Anand Rao
Email: nanandrao@rediffmail.com
Message: The hijackers be put a condition of the safe custody of plane,crew and passengers on to Indian soil first and release the crew and passengers first and then the issue of hostages demand be met.

Name: ganesh
Email: ganesh_19@coolmail.com
Message: it should that immediate action to erradicate the radicles and to agree their proposal

Name: TShah
Email: tushar74@hotmail.com
Message: There is only one option - go in and get them out. There are always casualties in war but telling would-be hijackers that they would die if they do this again is very important. Noboday messes with India.

Name: Ravi
Email: ravi_india@yahoo.com
Message: 2 issues. One, the government better treat this issue as an eye-opener and strengthen security at all airports to international levels. Secondly, the safety of the hostages is of utmost importance and should not be compromised at all. Any negotiation must be on the condition that they be freed first -- there should be no 2 issues on this.

Name: Pradeep Rekhawar
Email: rekhawar@bom8.vsnl.net.in
Message: The Govt. in no case, should accept demands of the hijackers. All possible steps to be taken to resolve the matter i.e. Diplomacy, military, Cammondo action, taking help from International agencies expert in tackling such problems . We should teach a bold lesson to such criminals as we did in Kargil, we have to crush the terorism so that next time the terrorist would think twice before taking any such steps. This case is more serious as "Talibans" are involved in this case. Their action should be thwarted in the very begining. I am very confident about ability of our Government to tackle the problem in the best possible manner, however the immediate action is required.

Name: Devdarshan
Email: devdarshan@hotmail.com
Message: Kill the Hi-Jackers and set an example ! - No Compromise

Name: shankar hari
Email: shankarhari@usa.net
Message: release the prisoner and get the hostages back safely. they are being put into danger for no fault of theirs. the government should not put its ego above the safety of innocent people.

Name: ramachandran.n
Email: raychandar@hotmail.com
Message: I feel the government should be very firm and should not give in to the hijackers

Name: Ruchi
Email:
Message: Well, I think the Indian govt. should not agree to the demands of the hijackers. Since there is absoloutely no guarantee that the hostages would be freed after the demands are fulfilled. Instead, the govt. now should look forward to the negotiations. The life of nearly 150 people is at stake but any lineancy showed by the govt. would just give them more encouragement. The hijackers should be informed that anymore loss of life would result in killing of their collegues who are held captive with us too.

Name: S.C.Pathak
Email: scpathak@yahoo.com
Message: Indian govt. should send some trained commandos there and attack on those terrorists. Indian govt. should not relese azahar.

Name: Raj
Email: dontworry@nomail.com
Message: Of course getting the hostages back safely should be the highest priority. But in the long run we should, together with US and Russia attack Afghanistan and get to the root of all problems that is, Osama and its Taliban/Pakistan backing. Just uproot them !

Name: satish
Email:
Message: send nsg squad to kandahar

Name: ravichandran.s
Email: rasha@md4.vsnl.net.in
Message: send commandos (5 man army type) and take terrorist by surprise and teach them a lesson and make the world feel that we second to none

Name: Monish Suri
Email: monishsuri@hotmail.com
Message: least the govt. can do is "Act Fast".

Name: gaurang bookseller
Email: gk007@hotmail.com
Message: hello, i strongly feel that the govt. should not give into the hijackers demands mufti mohd. had set a very wrong precedent because of which the terrorists think that they can get away with anything. yes my sympathies are there with the relatives of the passengers and i am also scared to think what if it would have been someone close to me but even then i wouldn't have changed my decision. releasing a single terrorist is to put several other innocent citizens of the country at risk. the govt. has adopted the right attitude. this very act of cowardice proves why we should not give into ctbt, india has only foes as its enemies, and has to be very careful. the nepal govt. has also to accept responsibility. masood azhar does not deserve to be released. india should take inspiration from israel and the hijacking at entebbe, uganda. my condolences to rupin katyal but his sacrifice is no less than the soldiers at kargil. thank you, gaurang gk007@hotmail.com

Name: Azad
Email: FREE_KASHMIR
Message: The question INDIA must ask her self is what caused the hijacking of FLIGHT#814? Why are the freedoms of Indian nationals being compromised at the hands of ISLAMIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS. Very sadly the response of the Indian readers have somewhat been negative, some have even suggested killing the Kashmir Political prisoners in Indian jails. I ask those, is this recourse to a problem that has caused so much distaste among the peoples of Pakistan and India and Kashmir. Have Indians forgot about struggle, independence to have rule by their own people. It is sad that the lives of the passengers of Flight 814 are suffering but they must realize their government subjects the Kashmir's brutality everyday for the last 50 years. The 21st century nears, and India must change with the times. I do hope that the lives of flight 814 are comprised. Ultimately the Indian People must recognize the Struggle of the Kashmir people, only then can ever lasting peace exist....

Name: Dr. Thomas Kalam
Email: tkalam@vsnl.com
Message: Never give in to the demands of the hijackers. Wait patiently and wear the hijackers out. Don't do anything which would threaten the safety of the passengers.

Name: bijoy thomas
Email: BijoyThomas@jumbo.com.ae
Message:

Name: Deepak Kumar Suri
Email: dksuri@vsnl.com
Message: The Government should try to negotiate with the highjackers on the basis of realesing the hostages first then have the dielog with them on their issues, and not to bend on their demands on the stake of the NATIONAL SECURITY ( INDIAN ).

Name: Vikram Sharma
Email: vikramshr@yahoo.com
Message: The Govt. has two ways 1. Mix sleeping pills in the food given to the passengers and the hijackers with the help of afghta authorities and then strom in the aircraft. 2. Release Masood get the hostages back and follow mossod and kill masood and gang later.

Name: Saurabh
Email: agarwalsau@hotmail.com
Message: First it was Kargil where our Jawans layed their lives for the contry and kicked these terrorist out of our borders but now the terrorist have targeted the civilian population. It is time that the Govt shows the same resolve and convey the message that for each passenger killed on the plane 5 terrorist would be executed in indian jails. Offcourse if US can bomb their hideouts seeking revenge, why can't India do the same. This threat to the terrorist in the plane should have impact as they have bet their lives for this cause alone.

Name: sunny
Email: sunny6c
Message: pleae forward this message to pm dear pm sub: solution to resolve the crisis of hijacked ia planeand release the passangers in kandhar dear sir i as a concerned indian would like to share with you the dream that i saw last night it was that you have relased the kashmiri militant but before relaseing him you have druged maulanas food and operated him and fixed a time bomb in his body which is to blast after 24 hrs you had then handed him over to the un and un to the hijackers and the passangers are relased and brought home safely and there in kandhar oslama bin ladin has come to greet maulana and the time bomb has blasted and they both and many others have died onthe spot seeing this us president bill clinton has also gratulated you and no one else knows how it all happened in this crissis you have only 2ways either to relase the prisoners that you will not do for the dignity of the country and other is to refuse and they will blast the palne why not do some thing that world will remember and no body will dare to repeat this after the mission is over if you want to reward me my code word wil be suzuki wagonr we are all with you webmaster@meadev.gov.in aconcerned indian

Name: Vivek Dogra
Email: vivekdogra@hotmail.com
Message: 1.Surgically install electronic trackers in the bodies of the jailed militants. 2.Secure the release of the hostages and in return release the jailed militants as demanded. 3.Track down ,rearrest/shoot to kill the militants within hours of their release from the jails. Alternately implant poisonous capsules in the bodies of the jailed militants which would come into effect 1 day later and then release them.Effectively this would mean a delayed death sentence for acts of terrorism against the state of India by their supporters and should be upheld in the courts of law.

Name: Dr.A.Mohandas
Email: envt@md2.vsnl.net.in
Message: The Government should not yield to pressure of terrorism

Name: bodo
Email: gunjant@hotmail.com
Message: give laloo and rabri in return for the hostages' life!! on a serious note..we shud have our commandoes there at kandahar, and impersonate the diabetic patient and gain entry into the aircraft. a few rounds of automatic fire will do the rest. and also at the most they may explode a grenade which will not blow up a parked airplane

Name: Avijit Dutta
Email: titi10@cal2.vsnl.net.in
Message: Pull 200 terrorists from the jails along with the Maulana in question and follow a policy of tit for tat. To start with immediately avenge the death of Katiyal.

Name: anis Shaikh
Email: anis_shaikh@yahoo.com
Message: Concide with the demand.....

Name: Angad Singh
Email: supreme@mantraonline.com
Message: Leave the terrorists they want.

Name: gshejale@rediffmail.com
Email: gshejale@rediffmail.com
Message: govt should take steps to release all passengers of IA. and take precautions that such inciedent should not repeat

Name: Murali
Email: vishnuprasadc@yahoo.com
Message: I Convey my deep condolences to the Katyal Family. India needs to devise a plan of action in such crisis...it seems we are NOT totally ready to face any survival threat like this. Are we leaving everything to Fate and remaining as witnesses ? There's one loss now, and it's the responsibility of the Government to Stop it right there. I pray God to give courage to all the Passengers on board.

Name: arunava dasgupta
Email: transcom22@hotmail.com
Message: The terrorist are exhausted and tired too. The govt. should sent a commando force in the night and capture the flight and kill or capture the terrorists. They should also bomb the Qandhar airport as it is a den of militant activity. The Indian airforce and missiles, everything should be used. And remember the plane is low on fuel, hence one blast will not blow up the plane.

Name: Rocky
Email: rocky
Message: Aslam Hunani wants the release of same three kashmiri militants as does the hijackers. Is aslam hunani part of the hijacker gang ?

Name: krishnan.h
Email:

Message:

Name: Dhruv Sharma
Email: dhruv@godrej.com
Message: Use US Govt. influence/pressure and have the plane stormed(yourself) at Kandahar itself. Hijackers are in a friendly country and will like to remain there and we cannot expect cooperation from Taliban Govt. in Afghanistan, as is already evident in their actions. Message should also be conveyed thru diplomatic channels that if any harm comes to our people on board the IA aircraft, then harm could also come to the people whose release is being demanded. Rogues do not understand the language of gentlemen.

Name: subir singh
Email: subirsingh@hotmail.com
Message: hi thisa 13yr. old boy from delhi. iam feeling very sad. i just hope that the hijackers leave the passengers and surrender. iam very sorry about ruben katyal. this is not the way the hijackers should continue. subir(crying)

Read what other readers said:

'Get into Afghanistan and kill the hijackers'

'The Govt should directly talk with the hijackers and release the passengers without succumbing to their demands'

'Distract the hijackers, storm the plane, shoot the criminals and rescue the hostages'

'An SOP must be in place, formulated without a second's delay'

'The best course of action would be to storm the plane and rescue the hostages'

'The Govt should avail of all diplomatic means to get the passengers released'

Want to tell us how you feel? Click on to our Message Board on the Nightmare of Flight 814

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