in the 7/11 serial blasts after anti-terrorism squad (ATS) killed a Pakistani in Mumbai and captured another in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). Defense Ministry officials say that they arrested Al-Badr “divisional commander” Akmal Hashmi alias Abu Ahmad and during interrogation, Hashmi disclosed that the LeT had sent 17 terrorists to Mumbai to plan bombs in commuter trains.
Hashmi claims that he “told by LeT terrorists that they had carried out the Mumbai blasts. While 16 of the 17 members they had sent to Mumbai returned safely, one, Abu Janar, was missing.” Corroborating this, intelligence agencies say that they intercepted several wireless conversations between LeT operatives in J&K and handlers in Pakistan.
Refuting Pakistan President
Pervez
Musharraf’s statement that the
intelligence agencies of both nations should work together, Federal Home Minister Shivraj Patil told the Parliament that India shared some intelligence with Pakistan although more details will be given once investigation into the 7/11 attack is complete. However, Patil said that his Government was “unhappy” and as a “mature democracy” India cannot take diplomatic or military “steps that escalate the situation.” While India gave a list of wanted suspects to Pakistan, it got back nothing but denials and displaying its callousness served a counter list that included leader of Opposition L.K. Advani as number one suspect. Reiterating India’s willingness to negotiate a settlement Patil said that there could be no progress unless Pakistan dismantled its terror infrastructure.
He dodged questions whether his Government would ask the US to intervene with Pakistan repeating the US line that it was a global phenomenon. Patil said that while India is cooperating on terrorism with 25 countries by exchanging information and intelligence and monitoring movement of possible terror funds, he would like to “depend on ourselves more than anyone else.”
In a written reply, junior Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said the ISI continued to provide direction and logistical support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizb-ul Mujahideen. He also said that the ISI was also recruiting, arming, training, and financing terrorist outfits. Additionally, he claimed to have information that the ISI continued to reward terrorists for attacks on security forces and political leaders. Specifically, Jaiswal says he has information that “The serial grenade attacks on April 14 and July 11, 2006 in Srinagar city and killing of tourists” are under the direction of the ISI.
