Pakistani Army ran Muslim extremist training camps: Anti-terrorist expert

The Pakistani Army ran training camps for a Muslim extremist group, at least until recently, with the acceptance of the US Central Intelligence Agency, according to France's foremost anti-terrorist expert.ean-Louis Bruguiere, who retired in 2007 after 15 years as chief investigating judge for counter-terrorism, reached this conclusion after interrogating a French militant who had been trained by Lashkar-e-Taiba and arrested in Australia in 2003.

In a book in his counter-terrorism years, The Times quotes Bruguiere, as saying that Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was set up to fight India over disputed Kashmir territory, had become part of the international Islamic network of al-Qaeda.

Willy Brigitte, the suspect, told Bruguiere, that the Pakistani military were running the Lashkar-e-Taiba training camp where he spent two and a half months in 2001-02.

Along with two Britons and two Americans, Brigitte was driven in a 4x4 through army roadblocks to the high-altitude camp where Pakistani regular army officers were training more than 2,000 men, he said. (ANI)

Fort Hood shooter wired money to Pakistan, claims US lawmaker

A US lawmaker Michael McCaul has claimed that he has confirmed reports that Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who killed 13 people and wounded 29 others at the Fort Hood Army Base, Texas, had transferred money to Pakistan.

"I have confirmed through independent sources that there were communications and wire transfers made to Pakistan," a US newspaper quoted McCaul, as saying.

"This Pakistan connection just raises more red flags about this case and demonstrates why it's important for Congress to exercise its oversight authority," McCaul's spokesperson, Mike Rosen said.

Rosen said McCaul does not want his sources to be named.

He said McCaul, who is the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee's intelligence subcommittee, has been actively seeking information from as many credible sources as possible.

When asked about McCaul's claims, noted terrorism expert Evan Kohlmann said Hasan is a US citizen of Palestinian descent, with no known family ties to Pakistan.

Kohlmann, who has worked with the FBI and the Defence Department, said there are only two reasons for the psychiatrist to wire money to Islamabad

'Children's Day' celebrated at Nehru's ancestral home

Children's Day was celebrated at Anand Bhawan, the ancestral home of the Nehru-Gandhi family on Saturday.

A cultural event was also organised during the two-hour-long programme.

Besides, a Bal Mela (children's fair) was also organised at many places across the city today.

The children participated with enthusiasm and fervor in this fair organised to celebrate the 120th birth anniversary of Nehru.

Fondly remembering Pandit Nehru, Jagdish Prasad, the caretaker of Anand Bhawan described Nehru as a very good man.

"He (Nehru) used to meet all kind of people be it poor, rich or political leaders. My grandfather always used to tell us that Panditji (as Nehru is fondly known as) was a good man. He was very kind towards poor people," said Prasad.

There were no restrictions on any of the mansion workers to meet him, he added.

"I feel sad when I think that if only Panditji would have been with us today, then he could have done something for us and our children. We could have celebrated 14th November with him. He was a great support to us and we used to see him like he is our God because he never made us feel like we are poor and there was no restrictions on any of the bungalow (mansion) worker to meet him," said Prasad.

Prasad further said that Nehru, who was especially fond of children used to look at everyone with same loving eyes.

India made significant technical, industrial and social advances when Nehru was the country's Prime Minister.

An ardent democrat and internationalist, Nehru, along with President Nasser of Egypt and President Tito of undivided Yugoslavia, founded the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Nehru was the Prime Minister from 1947 to 1964. (ANI)

Leonid meteor shower's best viewing before dawn on November 17

Reports indicate that this year, the Leonid meteor shower best viewing will be in the hours before dawn on November 17.

But, there is uncertainty on the intensity of this year's shower. Viewers will definitely see a dozen or more meteors per hour.

Some astronomers predict, however, that the rate could be greater than 100.

The Moon will not wash out any meteors

Two Afghan drug peddlers caught with heroin in Amritsar

Indian police arrest two Afghan nationals with two kilograms of heroin from Amritsar district.

Officials said the contraband was seized after the police intercepted a car.

The seized heroin, worth at least 430,000 dollars was displayed before the media in Amritsar.

"State Special Operation Cell has made biggest recovery in which two Afghani smugglers who were based in Delhi have been arrested and the police has recovered two kilograms of heroin have been recovered from them.

The main person Shahjahan is an Afghani citizen he was based in Delhi and is directly in touch with the dealers in Afghanistan," P.K. Rai, Superintendent of Police (Amritsar), said.

Afghanistan, devastated by three decades of Soviet occupation and civil war, accounts for 93 percent of world opium output, according to United Nations data.

China, India and Russia called for the creation of a security belt around Afghanistan to halt the spread of heroin. (ANI)

Bhagwat now calls BJP 'a divided house'

Continuing his sharp critique of the current stasis in the BJP, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has described the party "as a divided house."

"BJP is a divided house and a divided house can't function properly. The party should not forget its roots," Bhagwat told reporters in Pune.

He added that he had told the BJP leadership to look for a "young" candidate who can "restore its organisational set-up".

"We have told them (BJP) to restore and tighten the party's organisational system and structure and choose a young president having leadership mindset," he said.

Answering whether the RSS favoured Nitin Gadkari from Maharashtra as the new BJP President, Bhagwat only revealed that there were three to four names that were being discussed.

"We have conveyed our expectations of the new leader and if they (BJP leaders) approach us after taking a decision we will okay it," he added.

Answering a question, Bhagwat said RSS had never set a deadline for leader of the opposition L K Advani to step down by February. (ANI)

Kate Walsh warns fans of online impostors

Grey's Anatomy actress Kate Walsh has warned fans to be aware of hackers posing as her online, after she came to know that an impostor had duped her neighbour on a fake Facebook page.

Walsh, 42, was left shocked and disturbed after she learned that the impostor had planned a dinner date between her and her next-door neighbour.

"There are people out there apparently pretending to be me... (My neighbour) was like... 'You said you were going to come over and have wine and hang out - on your Facebook. My wife is a huge fan and we've been Facebooking you'," the Daily Star quoted her as revealing.

And Walsh admits she had to see the messages herself to believe the scam.

"He showed me his computer and somebody is pretending to be me on Facebook," she added. (ANI)