Indian officials closely monitoring the Western hostage crisis in Kashmir, have once again reiterated that all four hostages, held by the obscure group "Al-Faran," are still alive and in good health.

They said that a report, published in Britain's The Daily Express newspaper and quoting the alleged militant captors as saying that the hostages had been handed over alive to the Indian Army and then possibly killed, appeared without foundation.

American Donald Fred Hutchings, German Dirk Hasert, and two Britons, Keith Mangan and Paul Wells were kidnapped with two others on July 4th [last year] by an unknown group calling itself, "Al-Faran."

American John Childs, a fifth hostage, escaped within a few days. Norwegian Hans Christian Ostroe, a sixth captive, was found beheaded in a remote Kashmiri forest on August 13th, 1995.

The All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and Kashmiris all around the world condemned in unequivocal terms the kidnapping and cold-blooded murder of the innocent Norwegian captive by "Al-Faran."

The APHC called for a general strike in Jammu and Kashmir to express its total abhorrence. The people of Kashmir demonstrated an unprecedented show of support in denouncing "Al-Faran," and their opposition to terrorism, all business establishments, schools, colleges, and government offices came to a stand still.

The Daily Express article quoted an "Al-Faran" member as saying the hostages had either been killed by Indian army or were being concealed by them.

"I do not think the report has any substance and it is not based on correct information," said the spokesman for the crisis group set up by the Indian government to secure the hostages' safe release.

"There is no rumour even of their being killed. Kashmir being a small place, a killing of this magnitude cannot be concealed," the spokesman told Reuters.

A senior police officer in Srinagar, the capital city of Jammu and Kashmir, said the four hostages had been seen very recently near a village in south Kashmir and appeared healthy. "They were spotted by villagers in the upper reaches of Anantnag district, wearing warm clothes and looking healthy," he said.

Meanwhile, a three-day operation with sniffer dogs in the forests of South Kashmir, organised by the Indian army with the help of intelligence agencies from three countries [US, Germany, and Britain], had failed and finally abandoned the search for the hostages. "Nothing concrete could be discerned," said the crisis group spokesman.

In Washington, the US State Department spokesman, Nicholas Burns told reporters that "we continue to operate under the assumption that Mr. Hutchings, the German and British hostages, are alive. We are continuing our very intense diplomatic efforts from our Embassy in New Delhi under the capable leadership of our senior diplomat, Frank Wisner, who has been working on this case very hard since last July 4th."

In response to another question, U.S. State Department spokesman Glyn Davies said, "Donald Hutchings, who is still, we believe, being held in Kashmir. There have been reports that the Indian security forces are conducting a search to try to confirm or disprove reports that are, I believe, second hand that the Western hostages -- and Hutchings is one on them -- who have been held since last July, have been killed. There aren't eyewitness reports."

"We maintain that as long as there's no definitive proof that the hostages are dead, we're going to continue to operate on the assumption that they're alive. We'll continue to work closely with Indian authorities and other government organisations to secure their release," said Davies. He was asked, are you aware of any recent discussion between the Indian Government and the rebels? "I'm not -- between the "Al-Faran" group and the Indian Government. I'm simply not aware that there's been any dialogue between the two," said Davies.

According to wire reports, Davies was asked whether five Western security agents or experts who are part of a search team are U.S. Government officials? "I can confirm that some American Government officials are assisting the Indian authorities in their search. I don't know how many, and I can't tell you, because I don't know what organisations they might represent. But we are out there, and we're helping the Indians in their work."

Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister of Germany, the ambassadors of four Western countries and hostages' families renewed their appeal to kidnappers to release the innocent captives on humanitarian ground.

The German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel said in a message over the international German radio, Deutsche Welle, "I ask all those who could have any influence on the kidnappers to work for their rapid release."

Ambassadors Frank Wisner of the US, Frank Elbe of Germany and Frank Walther of Norway and High Commissioner David Gore of U.K. made a joint appeal. On their arrival in New Delhi after the search was abandoned, they called on the hostage takers to "let them (captives) go as there was no point in continuing to keep them in captivity."

"Whoever has kidnapped our relatives, we request them to end this crisis as soon as possible and free all the four innocents," said the partners of the hostages.

In an open letter distributed among journalists in Srinagar, Jane Shelly, Julie Mangan, Catherine Mosley and Anne Katerine Haing asked the kidnappers to take pity on Keith Mangan, Paul Wells, Dirk Hasert and Donald Hutchings in the name of Allah and free them.

"For months, we have not seen our dear ones, their absence is quite painful for us. Our lives are incomplete without them," they said. "We are confident that your sympathies were with us during these hard times and we are sure that you will play your role in seeking safe release of our dear relatives."

The wives of the hostages said that the crisis had caused heartaches for them, contributed a loss of credibility to the Kashmiri cause and defamed Kashmiris in their respective countries.

Syed Ali Shah Gilani, a prominent leader of the APHC and a leader of the Jamaat-e-lslami Jammu and Kashmir, agrees with the hostages' families, "Obviously whoever is responsible for this [kidnapping] is not a well-wisher of our movement, and the teaching of Islam do not allow us to kill or kidnap an innocent person." He appealed to the abductors to release all the hostages unconditionally and immediately.

It is New Delhi alone that seemed to have gained by discrediting the Kashmiri freedom struggle for the kidnapping of the Western hostages.

The Indian authorities have remained in-touch with the kidnappers from the beginning of the crisis, which explains the reason of their being confident that the hostages are alive and in good health. However, at this time, what everyone is anxious about is their safe release. Nevertheless, the world, by now, has a better idea, who may be responsible for these dirty tactics?