Eliminate 26/11 perpetrators: US

Washington, Dec 26 (PTI) Cranking up pressure on Pakistan, the US demanded that the perpetrators of the unprecedented Mumbai terror attacks be "eliminated" and said Islamabad has still a "lot to do" in combatting terrorism.

Richard Boucher, the US Assistant Secretary of State for
South and Central Asian Affairs, elaborating on the US’ aim,
said the country’s "immediate focus is to get rid of the
terrorists and stop them from doing anything more."

"Let’s find the people responsible, let’s eliminate the
groups who were responsible and let’s make sure we do
everything we can to prevent India from suffering this kind of
attack again. That’s an immediate focus that requires
everybody’s co-operation, and when we are through that
co-operation, we can also start co-operation on broader
things," Boucher said in an interview to All India
Radio(AIR)."

The strong message from Boucher came in the wake of
Pakistani authorities trying to blur the focus away from
cracking down on Pakistan-based groups like
Lashkar-e-Toiba(LeT) suspected to have masterminded the
Mumbai attacks on November 26 that left 179 persons dead.

"Pakistan has taken some promising steps, but there is
a lot to be done to tackle the menace," Boucher said.

Pakistan and India should co-operate and draw a plan to
look over such incidents in the future to make certain that
such terror assaults against India are curbed, he added.

Boucher further urged Pakistan to understand the
significance of the term co-operation in such circumstances.

Boucher's comments came close on the heels of Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice implored Pakistan to "do everything
that it can to help bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai
attacks to justice."

"There are lot of issues here and lot of things it
should be done. The focus right now is on getting the groups
who took this horrible action, who committed these horrible
crimes in Bombay," Boucher said,

He said the US always wanted to see that "Pakistan be
able to control its territory and stop these groups from
operating", insisting "We need to co-operate with Pakistan."

The US official also noted that investigations are
underway in India as well as in Pakistan.

And "both the investigations can benefit from exchanging
information back and forth, to the extent we can help with
that. But I think we also need to look for the possibility
where India and Pakistan can jointly co-operate to get rid of
these terrorists and keep them from operating in these
regions."

The top US official said Washington and New Delhi were
in the process of putting in place "a new kind of cooperation"
to prevent such terror attacks in the future.

"We are having a very active diplomatic and
investigative dialogue with India," he stressed.

Boucher also said that America is seriously following
up on the Mumbai attacks, even as India puts in place, better
mechanisms and structures, to strengthen internal security.

He said the US will also continue to work with Pakistan
thoroughly to eradicate the menace of terrorism from their
soil.

Earlier this week, Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of
the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, is believed to have stressed on
the need for Pakistan to do more to address India's concerns,
including action against elements linked to the Mumbai
attacks, during his meetings with top Pakistani military
leadership in Islamabad. PTI RBS
SAK