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Another 9/11 in Al-Qaeda Pipeline WASHINGTON: The al-Qaeda network is preparing a major terror strike similar to the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed more than 3,000 people, the Washington Times reported on Tuesday, quoting US intelligence sources. "The attack will be large-scale," said one of the sources, who said preparations had been affected by the arrest of terrorists in recent months. The Central Intelligence Agency and FBI refused to comment. The Washington Times reported that the strike would be preceded by a series of smaller incidents, including assassination of US personalities. The sources did not say if the information had been passed on to President Bush in an intelligence briefing. Nor did they say if the strike would take place inside or outside the United States. Things Beyond Control at Indo-Bangla Border, Says Fernandes BANGALORE: Things have gone out of control on the border with Bangladesh, according to defence minister George Fernandes. Describing the whole thing as unfortunate, he said that additional BSF personnel have been deployed near the no-man's -land close to Satgatchi in Cooch Behar district of north Bengal where 213 migrants, whom Dhaka refuses to accept, are stranded. SATGACHI (West Bengal): The Government of India along with various non-Governmental agencies have stepped up relief operations for the 213 Bangladeshi snake charmers stranded on no-man's land along the Indo-Bangladesh border. The snake charmers and their families who India says were pushed into Indian territory by Bangladeshi border guards have been living on the zero line, near Satgachi, 700 km north of Kolkata, since Friday. Indian officials are supplying water, rice and pulses for the people and Border Security Force (BSF) doctors have been called in to provide immediate medical assistance. "Dry fruits, rice, dal, bread, canned food and clean water for drinking is being provided to them. We are here to provide them with relief," said Babulal Maitra, convener of International Red Cross Society. India says the people, aged from two months to over 70, were gypsies entering illegally and also had papers proving they were Bangladeshis. Dhaka, however, contests the claim saying New Delhi is expelling Indian Muslims and has refused to take them in. DL Chaudhry, deputy inspector-general, BSF, Cooch Bihar, said tensions continued to be high as the Bangladesh authorities refused to cooperate. Weather Satellites To Be Named After Kalpana Chawla: PM (Go To Top) NEW DELHI: Indian law-makers on Wednesday paid tributes to astronaut Kalpana Chawla who alongwith six others was on board the American space shuttle Columbia which broke up minutes before landing last week. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and main Opposition Congress party president Sonia Gandhi were among leaders who attended the condolence meeting at Parliament House annexe. "To keep Kalpana's memories alive forever, a suggestion has come up and the series of weather satellites - Metset - which has been developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be named after her," Vajpayee said. Camera Captures "Purple Streak" Hitting Columbia (Go To Top) WASHINGTON: There is probably more besides what has been said about possible reasons for the Columbia disaster last weekend. The investigators are said to be analyzing a startling photograph - taken by an amateur astronomer from a San Francisco hillside - that apparently shows a purplish electrical bolt striking the space shuttle as it streaked across the California sky. The digital image is one of five snapped by the shuttle buff at roughly 5:53 am on Saturday as sensors on the doomed orbiter began showing the first indications of trouble. Seven minutes later, the craft broke up in flames over Texas. Decision Soon on AJT Deal: Fernandes (Go To Top) BANGALORE: Defence minister George Fernandes said on Wednesday India was near a decision on buying a new generation of Advanced Jet Trainers (AJT), but declined whether the deal would go to Britain's BAE Systems Plc. Britain has been trying to persuade India for more than 15 years to buy 66 Hawk advanced trainer jets from BAE Systems to replace Russian trainer jets in a deal estimated to be worth at least 1.6 billion dollars. Fernandes said on the sidelines of an air show in Bangalore, India plans to buy 66 AJTs. The price is quoted to be a cool 1.2 billion dollars. Though Russians too have joined the fray, it may be a straight fight between the British Aerospace Enterprise Systems Hawk ZJ 100 and L-159, a US-Czech joint venture in which the former has the major stake. Musharraf Discusses Trade, Military Ties With Putin (Go To Top) MOSCOW: Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf discussed trade and military ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday. The meeting took place amid tensions over Russia's close links with India and Russian concerns over Pakistan's commitment to fighting terrorism. "Our relations have been developing quite well, particularly within the anti-terror coalition," Putin told Musharraf. Putin said he hoped Musharraf's visit would provide a good new impetus for development of economic and political relations between the two countries. The two leaders are expected to sign bilateral agreements on economic and defence cooperation, and Musharraf is due to meet later with Russian law-makers and business executives. Relations between Moscow and Islamabad have been strained since the Soviet Union's 1979-89 invasion of Afghanistan, when Pakistan was used as a staging area for US-backed rebel forces fighting Soviet troops. Pakistan is also uneasy about Russia's close ties with India. Moscow signed an agreement with New Delhi last month that envisions joint development of an advanced fighter jet, joint production of a supersonic Brahmos cruise missile and sales of submarines. IAF Man Killed in Patna Fake Encounter (Go To Top) PATNA: An Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel was killed in a fake enounter here on Tuesday night, it was reported on Wednesday. This is the second such incident in a month. Earlier three youths were killed in the city. The incident occurred in Paliganj district. The deceased was later identified as Amitesh alias Madhular Sharma. Police said some persons were planning to commit a crime near a school at Paliganj. On reaching the spot, the police quizzed suspicious-looking persons. Soon the unidentified persons opened fire at the police. The police retaliated and in the ensuing gunbattle the IAF personnel was killed, they claimed. Describing the encounter as a cold-blooded murder, Amitesh's father Awadhesh Sharma said his son had gone to draw money as he was to report back for duty at Sriganganagar following an IAF warrant for overstaying at his house after the death of his mother. -ANI |