Kandahar hijack: Advani opposed decision to free terrorists

Pune, Apr 11 (UNI) In a startling revelation, senior BJP leader L K Advani today clearly indicated that he had differed with the decision taken by the NDA regime to release three terrorists, including JeM chief Masood Azhar, in exchange for hijacked IC-184 passengers in 1999 when he was the country's Home Minister.

''I had aired my views within the government and would not like to comment on the issue after so many years...it is an old issue,'' Mr Advani, who is on the sixth day of his Bharat Suraksha Yatra in Maharashtra, said.

''Even the then External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh who took the three terrorists to Kandahar was just implementing the government's decision,'' he added.

The three terrorists were released from prison and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan by Mr Singh in exchange for the release of passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines aircraft in December 1999.

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