Government mum on Haywood's departure

Questions were raised on Tuesday about the sudden departure of Ken Haywood, an executive of an MNC whose computer Internet connection was used to send terror e-mail minutes before Ahmedabad blasts, but the government chose to remain mum.

Haywood left on the night of August 17, from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, despite a lookout notice issued by the Mumbai police pending against the 48-year-old US citizen. He was accompanied by his wife and two daughters to his home via Brussels.

The sudden departure of Haywood has given rise to considerable speculation about him including whether he had links with a western intelligence agency.

There was speculation that his links with intelligence agencies had come to fore after which he felt threatened and left the country.  However, no one was forthcoming to confirm.

Haywood underwent lie detector and brain mapping test and nothing adverse was found against him.

Mumbai police's anti-terrorist squad had summoned him to verify the allegation that a senior police official had demanded a bribe from him.

Working with Cambell White in  Mumbai, Haywood was questioned several times after the Internet Protocol (IP) address of Indian Mujahideen mail, sent to various media houses minutes before Ahmedabad blasts, led to his flat in Navi Mumbai.