Advani: no idea of Jaswant taking terrorists to Kandahar

New Delhi: Even as the 1999 Kandahar hijack drama continues to haunt the Bharatiya Janata Party, its prime ministerial nominee L.K. Advani says he had no idea that the then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh was accompanying the terrorists on the flight to the Afghan town.
The BJP-led NDA government had to release three terrorists in return for the safety of the 160-odd Indian Airlines passengers held hostage on board IC 814 in December 1999. Mr. Singh accompanied the terrorists including Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Mohammad Azhar.
Mr. Advani, who was Home Minister during the Kandahar crisis, said the decision was taken in consultation with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Asked by NDTV in its “Walk the Talk” programme whether Mr. Jaswant Singh going on the plane was his own decision, Mr. Advani said: “I wouldn’t say I would know that. He must have consulted Vajpayeeji, but it was not an issue at all and this issue was also raised by many others many months later.”
23/03/08 The Hindu

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Categories: Air India Domestic Mar 2008, Foreign Mar 2008, NACIL Mar 2008, Safety Mar 2008