December 31, 1999

FOCUS-Indian Airlines hostages walk to freedom
11:45 a.m. Dec 31, 1999 Eastern
By Biman Mukherji
NEW DELHI, Dec 31 (Reuters) - The first of 154 freed hostages from a hijacked Indian Airlines plane landed in New Delhi late on Friday after a week-long ordeal that spanned five countries and cost a new groom his life.

Indian Airlines Hijacking Ends
By KATHY GANNON
The Associated Press
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - Five hijackers walked off an Indian Airlines plane today and drove away in waiting vehicles in a peaceful end to a tense eight-day standoff.

Hijackers given 10 hours to quit Afghanistan
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Hijackers who released more than 150 hostages have been given 10 hours to leave Afghanistan, Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh said on Friday.

Pakistan to intensify contacts with Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD (NNI): A high level meeting, chaired by Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, on Thursday decided to intensify contacts with Afghanistan.

Analysis: India warms to the Taleban
By Alastair Lawson
BBC
The hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane in Afghanistan has meant that India has to deal directly with the Taleban authorities as part of its efforts to secure the release of hostages

Japan thanks India, Taliban for ending hijack drama
TOKYO, Jan 1 (AFP) - Japan's Foreign Minister Yohei Kono on Saturday thanked India and Afghanistan's ruling Taliban for ending the eight-day Indian Airlines hijacking which trapped 160 people including one Japanese woman.