Have no info on threat to Mamata: Chidambaram

Distancing from West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s claims of an international plot to assassinate her, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday made it clear that central agencies did not have any such information.

Distancing from West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s claims of an international plot to assassinate her, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday made it clear that central agencies did not have any such information.

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Banerjee had recently accused the CPM of plotting to kill her. The conspiracy, she said, involved the Maoist rebels, Pakistan’s intelligence agency and elements in North Korea, Venezuela and Hungary.

“We have no information,” Chidambaram said.

Terror alert goof-up
The home ministry said the terror alert of Pakistani nationals planning to attack some installations was credible and had been corroborated by different sources. But there was acknowledgement that the agencies may have got the pictures of the alleged terrorists wrong. At least three of the five men, identified as terrorists, were later found to be traders in Lahore.

“Suppose, we had not acted on that report and suppose warning was not issued and suppose an incident had taken place, you would have hauled this over the coals,” Chidambaram said.

Prisoner diplomacy
Opening a window of hope for nearly 32 “Indian” prisoners in Pakistani jails, India and Pakistan have decided to transfer mentally challenged prisoners who have completed their jail term to medical institutions.

The prisoners have told Islamabad that they are Indians but New Delhi is reluctant to confirm their nationality since the prisoners — who have spent a decade or more in Pakistani jails — have not been able to give their exact address in India.

Indian jails too have about 37 Pakistani prisoners in a similar state of health.