September 12, 2003	Friday	Rajab 14, 1424

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NEW DELHI, Sept 11: Indian Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani stressed on Thursday the international fight against terrorism was not against Islam, as India went on high alert on the second anniversary of the attacks on the United States.

“I met the Israeli prime minister yesterday (Wednesday) and I told him strongly that our fight is against terrorism. It is not against Islam,” Mr Advani told a function to mark the Sept 11 attacks.

“It is wrong to connect patriotism and terrorism with any religion. It is wrong, very wrong,” said Mr Advani, considered a leading hardliner in India’s Hindu nationalist-led government.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cut short his visit and left New Delhi on Wednesday due to twin suicide bombings near Tel Aviv and in Al Quds that killed 15 people.

During his landmark visit, the two countries signed a joint statement saying they were both “victims of terrorism” and pledging to fight the “scourge” together.

The high security blanket thrown over New Delhi for Mr Sharon’s visit was maintained on Thursday due to the Sept 11 anniversary with police pickets on major roads and outside key buildings.

Earlier on Thursday, a brief panic erupted at New Delhi’s international airport when the knife fell out of the pocket of a worker putting luggage into a Sri Lankan airliner.—AFP