BBC Involved In Anti-India Terrorism?

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Indian Army intercepts wireless convo; raids BBC office in Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 2

 

The British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) office at Partap Park near

here was raided by the army late Thursday night, BBC North India

correspondent Atlaf Hussain said.

 

Hussain said some people carrying automatic weapons knocked at the

door of his office at Partap Park Thursday night at around 2230 hours.

 

"Despite my repeated requests, the gunmen refused to identify

themselves," he said, adding that he managed to flee through the rear

gate.

 

"I rang up the police control room for help but found myself

surrounded by armed men," he said, adding that it was at this stage

that they informed him that they were from the army and wanted to

question him.

 

He said the army officer leading the raid told him, "We have

intercepted a wireless conversation between two militants during

which your telephone number figured so we want to question you.

 

"I explained to the army officer that it is not unusual as almost all

militant groups besides top central and state government and security

force officials have telephone numbers of all mediamen," Atlaf said.

 

"I must add that the army officer acted with complete professionalism

during the search of the office-cum-residence," he added.

 

However, expressing anguish over the time at which the raid was

conducted, he said the army should not have raided the office during

late night hours. They could have got it searched during the day, he

added.

 

The BBC correspondent said army troops, who had sealed the entire

area, left only after inspector general of police K Rajinder Kumar

intervened.

 

Kumar was contacted by other journalists residing in the same

locality. However, help from police control did not come at all, he

said.

 

Meanwhile, BBC's chief of the south Asia bureau Paul Danahar has

taken up the matter with the general officer commanding Lt General V

G Patnakar and requested him to look into the circumstances

surrounding the decision to carry out the raid, Hussain said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNI