ID :
51660
Sat, 03/21/2009 - 16:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/51660
The shortlink copeid
Pak not probing link of official agencies to 26/11: HM
New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) Contending that "overwhelming"
evidence suggests involvement of Pakistan's official agencies
in the Mumbai attacks, India has said Islamabad is neither
pursuing this angle nor allowing the FBI to do so.
Home Minister P Chidambaram pointed out that Pakistan
has not shared any information it may have got from
interrogation of people detained in that country in connection
with 26/11.
He underlined that India will "apply pressure" and use
"coercive diplomacy" to ensure that perpetrators of the Mumbai
attacks are brought to justice.
"... Given the overwhelming evidence that we have, I am
entitled to presume that official agencies (of Pakistan) were
involved (in the Mumbai attacks)," Chidambaram told Karan
Thapar's 'Devil's Advocate' programme.
He said that presumption can be "rebutted only if
evidence to the contrary is available in the investigation."
Asked whether the evidence that points finger towards
official agencies of Pakistan is "conclusive or very
suggestive", the Home Minister said "That I cannot say now.
That will require investigation on Pakistan soil.
"It will require going to the controllers, the handlers
and then interrogating them and finding out that whether they
had masters of their own. That access has not been given to
us."
When referred to the name of some 'Colonel Saddatullah',
suspected to be an officer of Pakistan army, cropping up in
India's investigation into the Mumbai attacks, Chidambaram
said ".. All that we know is that there is a name that appears
in the conversation. So, we need to go there to investigate."
He added: "Pakistan has not allowed India to
investigate. Pakistan has not given the Federal Bureau of
Investigation the right to investigate.... FBI asked (for)
access that has been denied. And if Pakistan is also unwilling
to investigate, now where do we go from here?"
Chidambaram agreed that the involvement of Pakistan's
official agencies would be established if it is proved that
'Col Saddatullah' is a member of 'Special Communications
Organisation' which has got close links with Pakistan Army's
Corps of Signals.
Asked whether the links of Pakistani official agencies
with the Mumbai attacks could be established, he said "I don't
know, unless if someone is allowed to investigate".
Talking about the necessity to probe, he questioned why
Pakistan doesn't let the FBI, which is "completely neutral" to
investigate.
Queried whether Pakistan has made available any
information that it has got from interrogation of the people
detained there, he said "none so far... I have not seen any
material given by Pakistan about their investigation."
Asked if India has requested anything from Pakistan as
yet, Chidambaram replied in the negative.
On whether he would be making the request, he said "that
is a matter on which I will take a call later. I do not want
to prejudice the trial in Mumbai".
To another question, Chidambaram ruled out allowing
Pakistan to question Kasab.
"Ajmal Kasab has asked for consular access. We have
passed on that request to Pakistan. Pakistan, to the best of
my knowledge, has not responded to that request. So, Pakistan
would have to first admit that Kasab is a Pakistani citizen
and they will, therefore, provide him consular access. We have
now stopped even at the very threshold," he said.
The Home Minister said that until Islamabad accepts
that he is a Pakistani, there was no question of giving
another government the permission to interrogate Kasab. "That
doesn't arise," he said.
Asked if he believed Pakistan has either the time or the
inclination to pursue the Mumbai terror prosecution in the
present circumstances of political turmoil, the Home Minister
said "it will be sad if they have neither the time nor the
inclination".
On whether he will be satisfied if Pakistan prosecuted
and punished the accused on its soil, Chidambaram said "if
crimes have been committed on Pakistan soil, for example a
crime of conspiracy, Pakistan law would oblige Pakistan to
prosecute the criminal in Pakistan. We understand that.
"But, if they do not wish to prosecute the criminal in
their country, we would be quite happy if they hand them over
to us for prosecution and punishment," he said, and added that
fugitives from Indian law have to be handed over to India.
If Pakistan has done enough to actually dismantle the
infrastructure of terrorism, Chidambaram retorted "none, to
the best of my knowledge."
On claims that Islamabad had closed down five LeT
training camps in Pakistan, he said these training camps were
not permanent structures. "These are training camps that
mushroom in villages with 'kutcha' (temporary) structures. So,
these can be dismantled and erected elsewhere.
"We have enough intelligence to believe that controllers
and handlers are still active. They are still attempting to
infiltrate people across the border and across the LoC. There
is still a lot of communication between handlers and cadres in
Kashmir. Therefore, we have put our forces on a high alert
between now and the elections," he said.
Chidambaram agreed to the suggestion that terror network
in Pakistan was almost unaffected by the steps taken by that
country.
To a specific question whether the quantum of threat
India faced remains virtually undiminished, he said "that's
right, too".
The Home Minister said India has given all documents to
Pakistan barring the confessional statement of the lone
surviving terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
"They (Pakistan) asked questions. We have complete
answers which would have satisfied me if I was the
questioner," he said, adding the 401-page document has
"everything that Pakistan wants to take investigations
forward".
On why Kasab's confessions were not given, he said it was
a confession before a judicial magistrate and once a certified
copy was obtained from the court, it would be passed on to
Pakistan.
Chidambaram dismissed as "laughable" Pakistan's claim
that they do not know the whereabouts of Jaish chief Masood
Azhar.
On the possibility of Indian or local involvement in the
Mumbai terror attack, he said investigation did not reveal
any such involvement, except two Indians who prepared the
maps, which were apparently passed on to the terrorists. PTI
SMI
JVN
NNNN
evidence suggests involvement of Pakistan's official agencies
in the Mumbai attacks, India has said Islamabad is neither
pursuing this angle nor allowing the FBI to do so.
Home Minister P Chidambaram pointed out that Pakistan
has not shared any information it may have got from
interrogation of people detained in that country in connection
with 26/11.
He underlined that India will "apply pressure" and use
"coercive diplomacy" to ensure that perpetrators of the Mumbai
attacks are brought to justice.
"... Given the overwhelming evidence that we have, I am
entitled to presume that official agencies (of Pakistan) were
involved (in the Mumbai attacks)," Chidambaram told Karan
Thapar's 'Devil's Advocate' programme.
He said that presumption can be "rebutted only if
evidence to the contrary is available in the investigation."
Asked whether the evidence that points finger towards
official agencies of Pakistan is "conclusive or very
suggestive", the Home Minister said "That I cannot say now.
That will require investigation on Pakistan soil.
"It will require going to the controllers, the handlers
and then interrogating them and finding out that whether they
had masters of their own. That access has not been given to
us."
When referred to the name of some 'Colonel Saddatullah',
suspected to be an officer of Pakistan army, cropping up in
India's investigation into the Mumbai attacks, Chidambaram
said ".. All that we know is that there is a name that appears
in the conversation. So, we need to go there to investigate."
He added: "Pakistan has not allowed India to
investigate. Pakistan has not given the Federal Bureau of
Investigation the right to investigate.... FBI asked (for)
access that has been denied. And if Pakistan is also unwilling
to investigate, now where do we go from here?"
Chidambaram agreed that the involvement of Pakistan's
official agencies would be established if it is proved that
'Col Saddatullah' is a member of 'Special Communications
Organisation' which has got close links with Pakistan Army's
Corps of Signals.
Asked whether the links of Pakistani official agencies
with the Mumbai attacks could be established, he said "I don't
know, unless if someone is allowed to investigate".
Talking about the necessity to probe, he questioned why
Pakistan doesn't let the FBI, which is "completely neutral" to
investigate.
Queried whether Pakistan has made available any
information that it has got from interrogation of the people
detained there, he said "none so far... I have not seen any
material given by Pakistan about their investigation."
Asked if India has requested anything from Pakistan as
yet, Chidambaram replied in the negative.
On whether he would be making the request, he said "that
is a matter on which I will take a call later. I do not want
to prejudice the trial in Mumbai".
To another question, Chidambaram ruled out allowing
Pakistan to question Kasab.
"Ajmal Kasab has asked for consular access. We have
passed on that request to Pakistan. Pakistan, to the best of
my knowledge, has not responded to that request. So, Pakistan
would have to first admit that Kasab is a Pakistani citizen
and they will, therefore, provide him consular access. We have
now stopped even at the very threshold," he said.
The Home Minister said that until Islamabad accepts
that he is a Pakistani, there was no question of giving
another government the permission to interrogate Kasab. "That
doesn't arise," he said.
Asked if he believed Pakistan has either the time or the
inclination to pursue the Mumbai terror prosecution in the
present circumstances of political turmoil, the Home Minister
said "it will be sad if they have neither the time nor the
inclination".
On whether he will be satisfied if Pakistan prosecuted
and punished the accused on its soil, Chidambaram said "if
crimes have been committed on Pakistan soil, for example a
crime of conspiracy, Pakistan law would oblige Pakistan to
prosecute the criminal in Pakistan. We understand that.
"But, if they do not wish to prosecute the criminal in
their country, we would be quite happy if they hand them over
to us for prosecution and punishment," he said, and added that
fugitives from Indian law have to be handed over to India.
If Pakistan has done enough to actually dismantle the
infrastructure of terrorism, Chidambaram retorted "none, to
the best of my knowledge."
On claims that Islamabad had closed down five LeT
training camps in Pakistan, he said these training camps were
not permanent structures. "These are training camps that
mushroom in villages with 'kutcha' (temporary) structures. So,
these can be dismantled and erected elsewhere.
"We have enough intelligence to believe that controllers
and handlers are still active. They are still attempting to
infiltrate people across the border and across the LoC. There
is still a lot of communication between handlers and cadres in
Kashmir. Therefore, we have put our forces on a high alert
between now and the elections," he said.
Chidambaram agreed to the suggestion that terror network
in Pakistan was almost unaffected by the steps taken by that
country.
To a specific question whether the quantum of threat
India faced remains virtually undiminished, he said "that's
right, too".
The Home Minister said India has given all documents to
Pakistan barring the confessional statement of the lone
surviving terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
"They (Pakistan) asked questions. We have complete
answers which would have satisfied me if I was the
questioner," he said, adding the 401-page document has
"everything that Pakistan wants to take investigations
forward".
On why Kasab's confessions were not given, he said it was
a confession before a judicial magistrate and once a certified
copy was obtained from the court, it would be passed on to
Pakistan.
Chidambaram dismissed as "laughable" Pakistan's claim
that they do not know the whereabouts of Jaish chief Masood
Azhar.
On the possibility of Indian or local involvement in the
Mumbai terror attack, he said investigation did not reveal
any such involvement, except two Indians who prepared the
maps, which were apparently passed on to the terrorists. PTI
SMI
JVN
NNNN
