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Taliban commandos surround plane

Unconfirmed reports from New Delhi say that Kandahar is readying for a commando raid on Flight 814.

A civil aviation official at the airport whom rediff.com managed to contact wasn't sure about the action.

"I can see the plane from here," he said. "There are Taliban commandos surrounding it. There are three cars -- one near the left wing, one at the tail and the other at the nose - near the aircraft."

The doors of the aircraft are open. "Those were opened in the morning when food was taken in," he said. "But the ladder has been removed since then."

"The APU of the plane has been damaged and the engines shut down," he added.

The temperature in Kandahar was 40 degree centigrade, he said.

Meanwhile, the Indian delegation is continuing with the second round of negotiations.

"The hijackers are still insisting that Maulana Masood Azhar be released," the official added.

NIGHTMARE ON FLIGHT 814
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