DATE=1/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244454
TITLE=INDIA / U-S PLOT (S-ONLY)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:

INTRO: U-S INVESTIGATORS AND INDIAN POLICE THURSDAY PROBED
ALLEGATIONS ABOUT A BOMBING PLOT AGAINST AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC
MISSIONS IN INDIA.  VOA NEW DELHI CORRESPONDENT DOUGLAS BAKSHIAN
REPORTS

TEXT: A U-S EMBASSY SPOKESWOMAN SAYS IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE
THE CREDIBILITY OF THE THREAT AGAINST U-S FACILITIES. SHE
REVEALED  NO  OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORK OF THE U-S
INVESTIGATORS WHO ARRIVED THIS WEEK.

INDIAN NEWSPAPERS WEDNESDAY REPORTED THAT POLICE ARRESTED FOUR
PEOPLE WHO WERE PLANNING TO BOMB THE U-S EMBASSY IN NEW DELHI AND
THE CONSULATES IN MADRAS AND CALCUTTA.   THE REPORTS SAY ONE OF
THE PLOTTERS HAD BEEN TRAINED BY PAKISTANI INTELLIGENCE.

IN WASHINGTON, HOWEVER, THE STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAYS U-S
OFFICIALS HAVE  NO  KNOWLEDGE OF ALLEGED PAKISTANI INVOLVEMENT.
HE ALSO SAYS THE THREATS WERE DIRECTED ONLY AT THE CONSULATES,
AND  NOT  THE EMBASSY.

INDIAN POLICE ALSO SAY SOME SUSPECTS IN THE CASE ARE LINKED TO
OSAMA BIN LADEN, WHOM WASHINGTON ACCUSES OF BOMBING U-S EMBASSIES
IN AFRICA LAST AUGUST KILLING MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE. (SIGNED)

NEB/DAB/KL

21-Jan-99 6:45 AM EST (1145 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.