LeT behind Mumbai attacks: British PM

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) International pressure on
Pakistan increased further Sunday with British Prime Minister
Gordon Brown asserting that the outrageous attacks in Mumbai
were carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba and made it clear that
Islamabad will have a "great deal to answer for".

Brown, who made an unscheduled visit here in the wake of
rising tensions between India and Pakistan over the Mumbai
strikes, met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and said he would
convey New Delhi's concerns to President Asif Ali Zardari.

Hinting at building pressure on Pakistan, the British
Prime Minister told a select group of journalists here that
the world community should come together to ensure that there
were "no safe havens for terrorists" and "no safe place for
those who finance terrorist activities".

Brown held talks with Singh during which the Indian side
shared details of the Mumbai carnage and its links in
Pakistan.

When asked what Singh told him about the attacks which
were "conducted" from Pakistan, Brown said "Indian police is
interviewing people. We also know there have been arrests in
Pakistan. We also know that the group responsible is LeT and
they (Pakistan) have a great deal to answer for."

His assertion assumes significance as Pakistan has been
in a denial mode on involvement of Laskhar-e-Taiba or its
frontal organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa in the Mumbai attacks and
has been asking for evidence in this connection.

Brown, who came here to demonstrate solidarity with India
in the wake of Mumbai attacks, said he would convey the views
of Singh and "concerns" of the Indian people to the Pakistan
President when he meets him during a visit there.

The Indian side is understood to have apprised the
British Prime Minister about how 10 terrorists were sent from
Karachi to carry out well-planned and synchronised attacks in
Mumbai and how the assailants were being guided by their
"controllers" in Pakistan even during their three-day
engagement with security forces.

"I am travelling to Pakistan and will meet President
Zardari. I will explain the concerns that the Indian people
have about what has happened and about issues related to
Pakistan," he said shortly before leaving for Islamabad.

"I hope the world can see how it can work together to
combat terrorists," Brown said, adding he had told Singh that
Britain would give every possible help and the two countries
would work together in tackling terrorism and issues relating
to security.

"We will work together to build international support to
tackle terrorism and roots of terrorism in this world," said
the British leader who had a breakfast meeting with Singh
which was also attended by Foreign Secretary Shivshankar
Menon.

Underlining that "no country should have to go through
what India has had to as a result of the Mumbai outrages,"
Brown said he had told Singh that "we have got to attack
financial terrorism, that is where terrorism is given funds
and given safe havens through funds.

"We have got to continue to expose the perverse and
unacceptable messages that are sent out by extreme terrorist
groups who are perversionists and misuse religion."

Noting that arrests have been made in Pakistan, the
British Prime Minister said "the important thing to recognise
is that President Zardari has made it clear that he wishes to
do all he can to counter terrorism and work with India to do
so."

Brown, who had earlier talked to Singh over phone and
sent a message to him over the attacks, said he wanted to come
to India to "first hand give my condolences to the Prime
Minister and the Indian people at the terrible terrorist
outrage in Mumbai which has shocked the whole world."

He said he had told Singh that India will get support of
many members of the international community in counter
terrorism measures that can be taken together.

"It important to recognise, wherever there is terrorism
it has to be fought, wherever there is terrorism it affects
stability and cohesion of that countries and that is why we
are so determined to fight," the British leader said.

"The whole world will have to come together and ensure
there were no safe havens for terrorists, no safe place for
those who finance terrorist activities," he said, adding his
determination to work with India and other countries in the
fight against terrorism is "enhanced by the awful events of
Mumbai".

He said "no country should have to suffer tragedies that
have afflicted India" and appreciated the "courage",
"resilience" and "determination" of India to get on with life
while making efforts to root out terrorism.

"I support what Prime Minister Singh is trying to
achieve," he said while promising to work with India in fight
against terror.

"We have seen India deciding with great resolve to
continue with normal work and activities and to show the
terrorists they will not be able to succeed in destroying
Indian society, or civilised society anywhere," Brown said.

Talking about dangers of terrorism, he referred to the
"consequences" of the menace in Afghanistan where he visited
Saturday.

"We ourselves in Britain have not only suffered the loss
through Mumbai (attacks) of three British citizens but at the
same time we have had to face terrorist attacks ourselves," he
said.

Singh and the British leader also discussed the
international financial crisis and the status of negotiations
in the ongoing Doha round of trade talks. PTI AKK
RKM