Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Ghani Lone is shaken by the attempt on his life recently. Though the Indian government views him as the most moderate in the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference, Lone says he has reason to believe the attack was the handiwork of the state and central governments. In an interview with Onkar Singh in New Delhi, Lone said he would not participate in the forthcoming state assembly election. Excerpts:

You have alleged that an attempt was made on your life in Srinagar on November 1. Is that true?

Of course this is true. Shots were fired at my house in Srinagar on the night of November 1. The water tank of my house bears testimony to this attack. My security men returned the fire.

Where were you when the attack took place?

I was very much in the house. I was asleep.

Who do you think was behind these attacks?

I have been getting threats from across the border as well as from within the state. Al Barq, a militant group, has been threatening me. But I think this attack was engineered by the state and central governments.

Why should the Government of India or the Government of Jammu & Kashmir engineer an attack on you?

I am saying this on the basis of the statements made by two senior officials of the Jammu & Kashmir police. While Inspector General of Police Ashok Bhan said the attackers were after my gunmen, the deputy inspector general said the theory of the attack revolved around an accidental shot fired by a BSF man. I would like to point out that no BSF personnel is deputed within the vicinity of my house. That is why I say the attack seems to bear the signature of the state and central governments.

If the state government or the Centre wanted you killed, why would they give you security in the first place?

It might sound strange to you that after the attack the state government has removed my security. They also denied that any attack took place on my house.

Do you want security?

No.

If you do not want security, why did you agree to it?

When the state government sent security personnel some time back, I was in Delhi. My wife rang me up and told me about it. I told her not to send back the security, otherwise they would say I never wanted it. That is why I accepted the security cover. In 1996 also, a car bomb exploded outside my house. It was the handiwork of an officer posted in Srinagar.

Who is that officer?

I know his name, but I will not tell you.

Are you surprised by the stand taken by America on Kashmir?

No, in fact the stand taken by America is welcome. For the first time, America has said that the wishes and aspirations of the people of Kashmir should be kept in mind while resolving the dispute.

While leaders like Shabir Shah held talks with the government's interlocutor K C Pant, the Hurriyat Conference did not respond to his invitation. Why?

Yes, Shabir Shah might have spoken to Pant, but now he is nowhere. He is regretting his decision. We had made it clear in the very beginning that the government should only talk to the Hurriyat Conference, but they started talking to everyone.

Are you planning to contest the assembly election?

The All-Parties Hurriyat Conference has decided not to participate in the election. We want the problem of Jammu & Kashmir to be resolved first. I am a part of the Hurriyat Conference. I will abide by the decision of the APHC.

When America can bomb Afghanistan to fight Osama bin Laden and his terrorist outfit Al Qaeda, why shouldn't the Indian government try to contain terrorists in Kashmir?

India has been trying to contain terrorism for the last 54 years. India should now resolve this dispute by holding talks with Pakistan and the Hurriyat Conference.

Would you give the same advice to America -- to hold talks with Mullah Omar or Osama bin Laden?

Afghanistan and Kashmir are two different issues. Please do not equate the two.

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