An off-lead story on page one in the January 25 New York Times, slugged "Jet Hijackers Are Backed by Pakistan, US Contends", touched off the present row over the US attitude to Pakistan. The daily, quoting Clinton administration officials, had reported that "the US now believes that a terrorist group supported by the Pakistani military was responsible for the hijacking of an Indian Airlines jet last month. A judgement that puts Pakistan at risk of being placed on Washingtons list of nations that support terrorism", a demand made by Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee after the Christmas-eve hijacking.