In the shadow of the hijackerThe Russian delegation deems it necessary for the UN Security Council to react and denounce the terrorists' actions and to urge the Taliban to take all necessary steps to free the hostages and seize the terrorists,'' Tass quoted Gennady Gatilov, Russia's deputy UN ambassador in the United Nations, as saying.The Indian Airlines' Airbus A-300 plane, hijacked on Friday on its way from Nepal to New Delhi, is now parked at the airport in the Afghan city of Kandahar. Taliban officials have so far refused to take part in negotiations with the hijackers.Tass quoted Gatilov as saying the hijack had provoked an ``explosive situation'' in the region, clearly referring to rivalry between India and Pakistan, which has good relations with the Taliban.``It is very important that the Taliban itself undertakes all in its power to free the hostages and pass the terrorists into the hands of the law,'' he said. Gatilov said Russia's request had been presented to the UNSecretary-General Kofi Annan.THE bearded Sunni Moslem scholar, also known as Wali Azam, was jailed in February 1994 for entering India on a fake passport, fanning a separatist rebellion in India's only Muslim-majority state and waging war against the state. Earlier this year Masood and some of his cell mates tried to dig themselves out of the Kote Balwal jail, which is just outside Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Police said security had been stepped up around the prison since the demand for his release was made by the hijackers, who are holding the plane at Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.Masood was a Punjabi school dropout who obtained a degree in Islamic studies and taught at an Islamic university in Karachi. He speaks Punjabi, Arabic, Urdu and English. He edited Voice of Freedom Fighters, an official magazine of Harkat-ul-Ansar, one of several militant groups battling New Delhi's rule in Kashmir. Harkat-ul-Ansar changed its name to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen two years ago after Washingtondeclared it a ``foreign terrorist organization''. This made it illegal to provide funds for the outfit and denied its members or representatives US visas. The police officer said Masood was among the most disciplined detainees in Kote Balwal, offering prayers five times a day. ``Masood is a soft-spoken man, talks little and reads a lot of material in Urdu. In his spare time he prays and also uses a rosary,'' the officer said..Masood's family has said he was a journalist at the time he was arrested while in India on a valid visa and that he had nothing to do with Al-Faran. Four years ago his father, Allah Bakhsh Sabir, announced that he would give his substantial wealth and property to anyone who would rescue his son from jail and restore him to his family. India has called Al-Faran a front of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, and says Azhar was secretary-general of Harkat. Harkat has denied any contact with Al-Faran and accused Indian intelligence agencies of organizing the kidnappings to defame Kashmiri militantgroups seeking independence or union with neighboring Pakistan.Excerpts from Internet reports relating to the hijacking of flight IC 814
