Indian leaders may be denied US visas

Some Indian politicians and public personalities may be denied visas to the United States because of their association with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

This follows Washington's decision to designate the LTTE and the Harkat-ul-Ansar as ''terrorist organisations'', diplomatic sources said on Thursday.

Several leading politicians, including Parliament member George Fernandes, V Gopalasami and K Ramdoss, some judges, lawyers, writers and journalists who have in the past attended LTTE conferences may face the fallout of US action, they added.

Meanwhile, India on Thursday welcomed the US's decision to list the Pakistan-based HUA as a terrorist organisation.

Addressing the media, an external affairs ministry spokesman said India had been drawing the world's attention to the HUL and other Jammu and Kashmir terrorist groups's depredations.

He said India hoped that the decision would be followed by a recognition of the true nature of similar terrorist groups, and by effective steps to persuade Pakistan to disband such terrorist organisations's cadres.

UNI