Who is Masood Azhar?

The Friday Times
Vol XI, No. 46, Regd No. CPL-116
Jan 21-28, 2000

According to Khabrain, Maulana Masood Azhar, whose release was demanded by the hijackers of an Indian Airlines plane on 24 December, was a resident of Bahawlpur who was involved in the Kashmir Jehad movement. One of the hijackers was supposed to be his brother. The newspaper reported that Masood Azhar was once given bail by the Supreme Court of India but had to remain in jail because Pakistan refused to accept him as a Pakistani citizen. Azhar was linked to the Taliban and Osama bin Laden, and to a Pakistani air commodore (retired) who was running the Taliban air force. Islamabad daily Ausaf wrote that Azhar was active in Lahore and had taken two senior editors to Sudan.