December 26, 1999

Hijacked airliner parked on Afghan runway, surrounded by jeeps
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec 26 (AFP) - The hijacked Indian Airlines plane was parked on the runway at Kandahar airport, in southern Afghanistan, Sunday surrounded by Taliban jeeps but few guards.

Afghan Taliban begin refueling hijacked plane, criticise India
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec 26 (AFP) - Afghanistan's Taliban authorities Sunday began refuelling a hijacked Indian Airlines plane after talks between the Muslim militant hijackers and UN officials broke down, officials said.

We'll crash jet, says 'bin Laden' hijack squad
By Julian West in Delhi - E -Telegraph
THE hijackers of an Indian airliner with more than 160 hostages on board were threatening last night to fly from southern Afghanistan to the capital Kabul and crash the jet if they were refused permission to land.

India in "all out efforts" to end hijack drama: PM
NEW DELHI, Dec 26 (AFP) - Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said Sunday his government was doing its best to bring an end to the hijacking of an Indian Airlines Airbus, currently in southern Afghanistan.

Afghan Taliban threaten to expel hijacked plane
ISLAMABAD, Dec 26 (AFP) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban milita Sunday warned it would demand a hijacked plane parked at Kandahar airport leave the country unless negotiations begin, a report said.

Afghan Taliban Want Hijacked Jet to Leave
10:34 a.m. Dec 26, 1999 Eastern
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) - The foreign minister of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban on Sunday criticised the United Nations for not mediating in the Indian airliner hijacking and said he wanted the plane to leave Afghanistan.

Taliban Says It Won't Allow Raids on Plane
07:56 a.m. Dec 26, 1999 Eastern
By Sayed Salahuddin
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghanistan's ruling Taliban said on Sunday it would not allow any operations against a hijacked Indian plane in Kandahar, insisting the U.N. and India must act quickly to end the hostage drama.

Pakistan tells India not to drag it into hijack drama
The Times of India
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Friday night cautioned against any ``hysteria'' in India to drag Islamabad into the hijacking of the Indian Airlines aircraft and advocated an early dialouge between Indian authorities and the hijackers to avoid any greater harm.