Taliban involvement in hijacking known to all: Fernandes

NEW DELHI (NNI): Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes Monday said that the Afghanistan ruling Taliban were very much involved with Pakistan in the year-end hijack of the Indian Airlines plane.

"Everyone knows about Taliban's involvement with Pakistan in the hijack question," Fernandes said commenting on reports that the Taliban regime had welcomed Masood Azhar, a Pakistani cleric who was among the three freedom fighters released by India in exchange for the 161 passengers and the crew of the hijacked plane.

After the hijacked aircraft landed in Kandahar, the Taliban had facilitated the Indian negotiating team to go there and hold talks for the release of the hostages and New Delhi had thanked the Taliban for it.

"Beyond that there was nothing to compliment," the Indian Defence Minister said, adding the Taliban's involvement in the hijacking was not confined to sympathising with the hijackers. "There was much more than that," he said.