M A I N   N E W S

Did Advani cancel US trip due to threat to life?
Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 20
Did Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani cancel his visit to the USA at the eleventh hour because of a threat to his life in New Jersey?

Just four days before the August 18 announcement of the cancellation of Mr Advani’s visit, the Indian Embassy in Washington and the Government of India went into a tizzy following a communication from a US-based organisation called HinduUnity.Org entitled: “Disaster Foreseen Behind L.K. Advani’s Trip to USA”.

HinduUnity.Org also issued a press note in the USA on August 14 (which probably went unnoticed) saying: “We strongly suspect that Mr Advani’s life may be in danger” in Fords, New Jersey, where Mr Advani was to inaugurate Sardar Patel’s 21-foot statue at the Royal Albert’s Palace.

The communication from Hindu Unity. Org, which was also sent to Mr Advani’s office here, said: “In the past four hours, HinduUnity.Org has gathered intelligence reports that one or more persons involved in organising and inviting Mr Advani for this inauguration may be connected with Dawood Ibrahim and the Congress party. We firmly believe the intelligence reports that we have gathered is sufficient to sound a warning alarm because as Hindus we are directly responsible for the fate of leaders and our nation.”

The HinduUnity.Org, while expressing concern that the future of Mr Advani could be jeopardised in New Jersey, also commented: “We Hindus must diligently employ all our resources ... to plan defensive measures and prevent a mishap which can ultimately affect the course of India.” It also called upon the Indian intelligence agencies to “do their homework” and plan accordingly.

Security sources, when contacted, neither confirmed nor denied the alleged assassination threat to Mr Advani in the USA.

Meanwhile, political observers here did not rule out the possibility of the HinduUnity.Org’s communication being prompted by quarters who are close to certain political sections in the country.

Advani arrives in London

London, August 20
Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani arrived here today on a three-day visit for talks with British leaders on curbing flow of funds from Muslim extremists here to Kashmiri militants and stepping up bilateral cooperation to fight international terrorism.

Mr Advani will have a luncheon meeting with British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott tomorrow and will have discussions with Foreign Secretary Jack Straw on Thursday. Fighting terrorism both across India’s border and globally and steps to improve bilateral relations are likely to dominate the talks he will be having with the British leaders.

He is expected to impress upon them the need to stop flow of funds by Muslim extremists in Britain to militants in Jammu and Kashmir. PTI