Cops identify cyber cafe from where email threat to Advani was sent

SHILLONG: Police have claimed to have identified the cyber cafe from which the email, purportedly sent by Indian Mujahideen terrorists, to eliminate BJP leader L K Advani during his Shillong visit on September 29, was sent.

Refusing to disclose the name of the cafe, DGP B K Dey Sawian said the mail was sent from a cafe in Shillong.

"Definitely the email was not sent by a prankster. It's a two page mail written with specific inputs and details. We are taking it seriously and working on it to trace the sender," Sawian said.

He said the police was taking the matter very seriously. "Advani is given the highest category security, yet we cannot afford to take any chances," the DGP said.

When asked whether the police had any specific input about the presence of Indian Mujahideen militants in the state, Sawian said, “As of now we do not have specific inputs on that, but it cannot be ruled out."

"Soon after the blasts in Ahmedabad and Delhi, we have put certain places across the state under scanner acting on intelligence inputs. We are looking at those (places)," he added.

BJP not to cancel Advani's visit despite threat

The BJP will go ahead with the scheduled visit of L K Advani to the northeast despite the email threat given by suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists to eliminate him.

"We are going ahead with the programme," BJP president H S Syiemlieh said before going into a huddle with senior state leaders to discuss the matter.

Terming the threat as 'nothing unusual', he said the party was in touch with the police.

"We are not sure about the credential of the threat. The responsibility of his (Advani) security lies on the government," the BJP president said.

Govt to ensure Advani's security: CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Donkupar Roy has assured that the state government would ensure BJP leader L K Advani's visit to Shillong is incident free.

In the wake of an email threat, purportedly by Indian Mujahideen terrorists to eliminate Advani during his visit here on September 29, Roy said, "We are verifying the matter. The government will ensure that Advani has a safe visit to the state."

"He (Advani) is an important leader. Police is taking all measures to trace the sender of the email and verify the authenticity of it," he told reporters here.


Source : Times Of India

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'BSP worker' held for blackmailing Amar Singh

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police claim to have picked up a person for demanding Rs 5 crore from SP leader Amar Singh in lieu of making a statement in his favour before a Parliamentary panel probing the cash-for-vote scam. Hashmat Ali was arrested from Amar Singh’s residence on Thursday.
Ali, described by Singh as a BSP worker, had gone to Singh's residence this morning and demanded the hefty amount for changing his statement he had given to the panel, the SP leader claimed at a press conference.

Singh said Ali, who was to depose before the Inquiry Committee on FRiday, came to his residence around 8.30 am and said he could save the reputation of the SP leader by giving a favourable statement to the panel.

A person, whom Singh described as Hashmat Ali, was seen being taken away in a car from the SP leader's residence. "I am being kidnapped," the person shouted to reporters. However, Crime Branch of Delhi Police said that Ali was under detention and being questioned.

The issue of "kidnapping" of Ali is understood to have figured at the meeting of the Parliamentary panel with CPM member Mohammad Salim understood to have raised the issue.

Salim is learnt to have said that someone was trying hard to see that crucial evidence in the cash-for-vote scam was not brought before the panel to enable it reach the truth.

Opposition BJP termed Ali's detention as a "stage-managed" show by Singh and attacked him for trying to "influence and intimidate" the witness and the Committee.

"This is a stage-managed show and an attempt to intimidate and influence the witness and the committee," BJP spokesman Prakash Javdekar said demanding a new probe into the matter.

Source : Times Of India

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Manmohan, Zardari vow to be 'severe' on terror

NEW YORK: Acknowledging that the peace process has been "under strain" in recent months, India and Pakistan on Wednesday announced that cross-LoC trade in Jammu and Kashmir will commence on October 21 and vowed to take "severe action" against any elements directing or involved in terrorist acts, giving fresh momentum for an "an early and full" normalisation of bilateral relations.

Unveiling a slew of measures for a "peaceful resolution and saisfactory settlement" of all bilateral issues including Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his first meeting with the new Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari agreed that the forces that have tried to derail the peace process must be "defeated."

Meeting on the sidelines of the 63rd United Nations General Assembly session at the Millenium hotel where the Pakistan President is staying, the two leaders came out with a joint statement agreeing that violence, hostility and terrorism have no place in the vision they share of the bilateral relationship and must be "visibly and verifiably" prevented.

In an apparent attempt to tell India that let bygones be bygones in the backdrop of rise in cross-border terrorism and ceasefire violations, Zardari reassured Singh that the Pakistan government stood by its commitments of January 6, 2004 to stamp out terrorism.

With the needle of suspicion pointing to Pakistans ISI for the bombing of he Indian Embassy in Kabul, the two leaders agreed to convene a special meeting of the Joint Anti-Terror mechanism to address mutual concerns including the Kabul attack.

The two countries agreed to commence cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot roads on October 21,2008, open the Wagah-Attari road link to all permissible items on trade and the Khokrapar-Munabao rail route to all allowed items of trade.

The two leaders addressed the apparent lack of progress at the Foreign Secretary level talks to resolve outstanding issues saying they will schedule meetings of the Fifth round of the Composite dialogue in the next three months which will focus on "deliverables and concrete achievements."

Briefing newsmen after the nearly hour-long meeting, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said Prime Minister Singh was "very satisfied" at the meeting. The joint statement is a strong one in regard to the approach to be followed to deal with terrorism, he said, adding "we hope progress will be made on all (bilateral) issues.
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Source : Times Of India

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Amar disappointed with SP-Congress alliance

NEW DELHI: Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Samajwadi Party general secretary hit at the alliance with the Congress.

Expressing unhappiness with the state of ties with the Congress, he said, “I am disappointed that Congress MP Rashid Aivi attacked me”.

Amar also said that the party has indulged in character assassination. He threatened to expose a lot of big people in the Congress.

He went to on say that so far what has happened is worse than a honey trap.

It hasn’t been a long time since Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress joined hands to bail out the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government during the Indo-US nuclear deal crisis.

But, now the rift between the two parties is deepening, with both sides making charges against each other over the seat-sharing row.

The third round of talks between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for seat sharing in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections would take place later this week.


Source : Times Of India

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