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Abductees enter 8th week in Captivity

India hopes to win

release of hostages

without raid

SRINAGAR: Western hostages held by guerrillas in Kashmir began their eighth week of captivity on Tuesday as India expressed hope it could win their release without launching a risky rescue raid.

"It was looking hopeful yesterday and that situation hasn't changed," a spokesman for the Jammu and Kashmir state government said in Srinagar, the state's summer capital.

American Donald Hutchings and Britons Keith Mangan and Paul Wells were kidnapped in remote Kashmir on July 4, while German Dirk Hasert was captured four days later.

Norwegian Hans Christian Ostroe, abducted on the same day as Hasert, was found beheaded in an isolated forest on August 13 near a note in which Al-Faran threatened to kill the four others unless India freed 15 jailed guerrilla comrades.

Indian officials said they hoped regular telephone contact with Al-Faran militants would lead to a breakthrough without having to resort to a commando raid that could endanger the hostages' lives.

The governor of Jammu and Kashmir state said on Sunday that no military mission was being planned and the use of diplomatic channels was the best option.

A senior state official was asked to comment on reports the government was preparing to free jailed militants to win the four hostages' release.

"That is unlikely and pure speculation," he said. "I doubt whether they will be released."

Asked whether the government would rule out a swap of prisoners for hostages, he said: "Why should I rule it out? All we are interested in is having pressure from Pakistan build up on Al-Faran. If we can carry on a dialogue, it is in the interest of the hostages' safety to keep it going."

India believes Al-Faran, unknown even to Kashmiri separatists before the abductions, is linked to Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Ansar militants.

Harkat denies any association, and Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has condemned the abductions.-Reuter