SRINAGAR, June 15: The four westerners kidnapped in the Valley two years back were killed last year and buried in a grave, according to a captured Kashmiri militant. Nazir Ahmad Najar of the Harkat-ul-Ansar group, who was arrested last month in a joint operation involving the police and a pro-government militia group called J-K Ikhwan, disclosed this information to the authorities.

Najar, also known as Nazir Chhaan, said the four hostages were killed in Magam forest near Kokernag town, some 85 km south of Srinagar in January 1996, six months after they were kidnapped.

However, Government officials said they were unable to confirm Najar's story, which is similar to a statement made last year by another captured militant, Nazir Mohammad, who also claimed that the hostages were killed in Magam forest.

Najar told his interrogators that all the four tourists were shot dead near Magam Kokernag, adding that the only eyewitness was a government employee from Magam who has gone underground.

The four westerners -- Britishers Paul Wells and Keith Mangan, American Donald Hutchings and German Dirk Hasert -- were abducted while trekking in the Himalayan region in July 1995 by the Al-Faran. The fifth hostage -- Norwegian Hans Christian Ostro -- was beheaded in August 1995, after the authorities refused to meet the group's demand.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.