Mumbai attack: After Pak admission of Lashkar role, India wants action against guilty

Strained ties between India and Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, have worsened following admission by Pakistani investigators of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s role in the plot and execution by trained men to cause havoc in the financial capital of India.

Union Home minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said that LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was only one of the 26/11 masterminds, adding that there are other masterminds also. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Chidambaram said, "Lakhvi is one of the masterminds. There are others. We know their names and we think Pakistan also knows their names. If they do not bring others to trial then I would have to conclude reluctantly and regrettably that they are still dragging their feet."

Pakistani investigators on Jan 27 had said that there was "sufficient incriminating evidence against" the seven arrested terrorists for their involvement in the Mumbai terror strike. However, despite India's demand, no charges were pressed against Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed. Pakistani investigators in a report to an anti-terrorism court also corroborated the statement made by Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone gunman arrested during the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.

The Pakistan report presented to the court conducting the trial of seven accused, including LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, states that there is "sufficient incriminating evidence on record against those arrested for orchestrating the Mumbai attacks."

India has asked Pakistan to identify state actors involved in 26/11, but Pakistan has not mentioned any role of state actors in its reports. India also wants Hafiz Saeed to be prosecuted for his involvement in 26/11, but Pakistan has not even mentioned Saeed in their report.

The report aired by Pakistan's Dawn News says there is enough evidence to prosecute all the seven accused, who are in custody. Among them is Hammad Amin Sadiq, who gave out funds and safe houses for the terrorists. Zakhiur Rehman Lakhvi has been named as the mastermind of the Mumbai terror attack. Abu-al-Qama, has been identified as the terrorists’ handler, who trained Kasab and the nine others who attacked Mumbai.

Zarar Shah, has been named as the Lashkar's facilitator in the reports and is also an expert in computer networks. Reports identify Shahid Jamil Riaz as a crew member of one of the boats used by Kasab and gang to travel from Karachi to Indian waters. Jami Ahamd has been identified as the man who partially financed the Mumbai terror plot and Muhammad Younas Anjum has been named as the chief financer of the terror strikes

The 61-page report, which was compiled by a team of experts led by FIA officials, was presented to the anti-terror court in Rawalpindi in July last year. It contains the photographs of all the accused, including those who are still at large and have been declared "proclaimed offenders." Those who are still at large include crew members of the Al-Fauz and Hussaini, the two boats used by the ten terrorists who attacked India's financial hub.

The report also contains a list of 150 documents and items of evidence, including proof and information provided by India. Investigators had also corroborated Kasab's statement about his family and his native village of Faridkot in Pakistan's Punjab province by collecting records from his school and local voters' list.

The report concluded that all the accused should be convicted because there is sufficient incriminating evidence against them. Diplomatic sources said that the report made public by the news channel did not contain any information that was not included in the dossiers provided by Islamabad to New Delhi.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has said "There have been 101 Mumbai-like incidents in Pakistan after that (Mumbai). Dialogue is the only answer. We are both responsible nations. We can only move forward. We cannot afford war. The only way forward is talks."

Gilani told a television channel broadcast on Thursday that Pakistan was also a victim of terrorism.

India had stopped all dialogue with Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, with the Indian government alleging that the terror conspiracy was hatched on Pakistani soil.

Gilani referred to the joint statement issued after the meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt, on the sidelines of the non-aligned leaders summit in 2009. "That was a very good meeting. We discussed all issues. And we had understanding that we both are suffering from terrorism," Gilani said.

The Pakistani leader said that "1.25 billion (people) should not be made hostage to one incident. "So (if) we are hostage to this incident, then the beneficiary is the terrorist. Therefore, we should move forward."

"Certainly we condemn terrorism and we always believe that neither Pakistani nor Indian soil (should) be used against each other. You know how we are fighting the war on terrorism," asserted Gilani.

- Asian Tribune -