India releases 25 Pakistani prisoners

As a goodwill gesture, the centre on Friday repatriated 25 Pakistani prisoners, including hardcore terrorists, who had completed their sentence, with one of the ultras saying he might resume "jihad" against the United States or Afghanistan.

The Border Security Force handed over the prisoners to Pakistani border guards at the Joint Check Post at Wagah. Before repatriation, one of the terrorists Mohammed Farid Mir told media persons, "I don't have any grudge about the days I have spent in the Indian jail. Since I had crossed over to India with the motive of jihad I was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir. Now, on reaching Pakistani territory once again I may start my mission of jihad. May be this time from Afghanistan or America."

Mir said he crossed over to Kashmir in 1997 and almost succeeded in breaking into the Kotbalwal jail of Jammu after digging out a 140-feet-long tunnel but unfortunately he was caught and convicted for six years.

Another terrorist Janat Gul said, "I was falsely implicated in the bomb blast at Red Fort and various criminal cases but the Indian Court of Law acquitted me." He said his only fault was that he had crossed over to Indian territory mistakenly for which he was punished for six years.