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US officials land in India to assess security threat to consulates

The Clinton administration has expressed ''grave concern'' over the reported terrorist plot to bomb US consulates in Calcutta and Madras and said American security officials are in India to assess the situation.

State department spokesman James Rubin said yesterday, ''We have no knowledge of the alleged involvement of Pakistan. I don't care to speculate on the various motives of an event that is being investigated.''

Media reports in Washington have quoted the Indian police saying that suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden was behind the alleged plot.

Replying to questions, Rubin said Syed Abu Nasir, named in the Indian press, was being involved in the plot to bomb the two consulates. He was detained by Indian authorities in December and formally arrested on January 19.

''Embassy officials have been working closely with Indian authorities to try to determine the credibility of the threat,'' he added.

Rubin said there had been a heightened level of protection around all of their diplomatic facilities in India since the bombings in East Africa. ''We are maintaining that enhanced protection and will continue to do so. We obviously regard with grave concern and take very seriously any threats to our personnel, both American and Indian,'' he added.

As to the question of involvement of other intelligence services, he said Indian authorities were continuing their investigation. ''We have seen press reports of arrests of accomplices'' of Syed Abu Nasir, he added.

Asked whether the individual arrested had any ties to Osama bin Laden, Rubin said, ''We're trying to determine the credibility of the threat and investigating the matter. I have no additional information for you.''

In reply to a question about the proposed missile tests by India and Pakistan, Rubin said, ''We remain concerned about the matter. We've been discussing it with them. I don't have any new information to offer.''

Asked whether the US got any satisfactory reply from the two countries, he said, ''We remain concerned about the possibility of such tests. We continue to discuss the matter with them.''

He said Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott was going, as scheduled, on a trip to the two countries later this month.

UNI

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