Author: Indo-Asian News Service
Publication: MSN News
Date: July 29, 2008
URL: http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1595808
Bitta said the time has come to answer terrorists
in their own language but it was petty politics that was coming in the way.
Ahmedabad: Urging all political parties to
join hands to fight terrorism, All India Anti-Terrorist Front secretary M.S.
Bitta said here Tuesday that failure to hang Afzal Guru, convicted for his
role in the 2001 parliament attack, was emboldening terrorists.
"Not hanging Afzal has sent wrong signals
and the terrorists have become emboldened to strike with more ferocity,"
Bitta told media persons.
A mercy petition from Afzal, sentenced to
death, has been pending before the president. Bitta said the time has come
to answer terrorists in their own language but it was petty politics that
was coming in the way.
As in Punjab, which was in the grip of terrorism
in the 1980s, all political parties should come on a common platform and declare
a war against terror for one year, he said. He also called for increased vigilance
and tight security in border areas.
"I came to Ahmedabad from Surat Monday
evening. I was impressed by the bravery of the people of Surat and Ahmedabad,"
exclaimed Bitta.
On Saturday evening, Ahmedabad was ripped
apart by 21 bombings that claimed at least 50 lives.
Between Sunday and Tuesday evening, at least
23 bombs and two cars loaded with explosive materials were found abandoned
in Surat.
