Pak admits part of 26/11 planned in its territory

Buckling under international diplomatic pressure, Pakistan today finally accepted that part of the conspiracy for the Mumbai terror attacks was hatched on its territory, a development that India described as ''positive''.

The incident had brought the two neighbours to the brink of a conflict.

The neighbour, which initially denied any connection with the gruesome incident, handed over its much awaited response to India's dossier on the 26/11 to High Commissioner Satyabrat Pal in Islamabad earlier in the day.

The attack on the country's financial capital, which had claimed the lives of at least 179 people, had drawn worldwide condemnation.

India said that attackers came from Pakistan and the country's state agencies were invloved in the whole episode.

After denying for over a month, Pakistan's Information Minister Sherry Rehman had last month officially accepted that the lone surviving attacker Ajmal Amir Kasav was a Pakistani national, and now today her Government finally admitted what India said was the edident truth.

''Part of the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan while money was paid in Spain for the attacks. One Javed Iqbal based in Italy, was also involved,'' Interior Ministry Advisor Rehman Malik told reporters, indicating that the attack had tentacles spread internationally.

He said transactions were made from both in Italy and Spain while SIMs purchased for satellite phones from Houston were used. Mr Malik said Lashkar men Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah and Abu Hamza trained the attackers who reached Mumbai by two boats, adding that Zarar Shah created an e-mail account also to facilitate attackers and planners.

He said FIA inquiry also established involvement of ''one Khan, one Riaz and one Hamid'' and these people facilitated the attackers.

He said Hamid and other two accused were with Pakistani authorities.

''We have also been able to find the shop and its owner from where attackers bought engine for a trawler that ferried them to Mumbai,'' he said.

In New Delhi, the External Affairs Ministry said ''this is a positive development.'' Home Minister P Chidambaram said Minister for External Affairs Pranab Kumar Mukherjee would make a detailed statement on India's response in Parliament tomorrow.

The External Affairs Ministry said Pakistan had sought further information and material relating to the investigation and the Government of India would now examine the issues raised in the response by Pakistan. ''After that examination, we will share whatever we can with Pakistan,'' its spokesman added.

He, however, said it remained Indias goal to bring the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks on Mumbai to book and to follow this process through to the end. ''We would also expect that the Government of Pakistan take credible steps to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan.'' Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, Satyabrata Pal, was informed officially by the Pakistan Foreign Secretary this afternoon of his country's response to the dossier of material that India had made available to Pakistan on January 5 linking the terrorist attacks on Mumbai to perpetrators in Pakistan. In their official response, the Pakistan authorities had admitted that elements in Pakistan were involved in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai. ''They are still in the process of investigating the attacks, and have taken certain actions including the arrest of some of those who were involved and filing a first information report,'' the Ministry said. Earlier Mr Rahman Malik said the first information report (FIR), number 01/2009 was lodged on the basis of information provided to Pakistan at a police station at special investigation unit here.

He said he had briefed the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad and would be receiving copy of the report today, adding ''we have requested India to answer several questions because we still don't know DNA of Ajmal Kasab, how terrorists were able to get 27 SIMs in India, the conversation made through these SIMs by the terrorists.'' Islamabad accepted that the part of the conspiracy was hatched on its land and said a case against Ajmal Kasab, other attackers and facilitators of Mumbai terror attacks had been registered.

Mr Rehman Malik, adviser to Pakistan prime minister on the interior affairs said Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar Shah and Abu Hamza trained the attackers. Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Vishnu Prakash told reporters that India will react to Pakistan's response to its dossier on 26/11 Mumbai terror attack after receiving a report from the Indian High Commissioner. The Government would react only after going through Pakistan's reply to the 26/11 dossier. ''Only after we see what has been handed over to us can we react,'' said Mr Prakash.

Acccording to the Pakistani disclosures, ''Part of the conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan while money was paid in Spain for the attacks and one Javed Iqbal based in Italy was also involved.'' Mr Malik said transactions were made from both Italy and Spain.

-- (UNI) -- 12DF21.xml

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