ID :
79566
Sat, 09/12/2009 - 02:02
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/79566
The shortlink copeid
26/11 attack:Pak claims LeT men's trial to end within 4 months
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Sep 11 (PTI) Pakistan Friday claimed that
the trial of LeT operatives arrested for involvement in the
Mumbai terror attacks would be completed within four months,
even as it sought more time to examine the evidence provided
by India against the terrorist group's founder Hafiz Mohammad
Saeed.
Refuting the contention of Indian leaders like Home
Minister P Chidambaram that there had been no progress in
Pakistan in bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11
attacks, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said: "I challenge you
and say the trial (of the suspects) has started."
"After (the festival of) Eid, day-to-day hearings will
be held and proceedings will be completed within the
prescribed time limit," he said, adding it will take between
two-and-half months to four months for the trial to be
completed.
Five LeT operatives arrested earlier had already been
chargesheeted while charges against two newly-arrested
suspects will be filed soon, he told reporters.
Malik said Pakistan has already acknowledged that
"part of the conspiracy" behind the Mumbai attacks was hatched
by "non-state actors in Pakistan."
"Don't suspect our motives," he said, adding that LeT
operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, described by India
as the mastermind of the attacks, had been arrested along with
several aides.
Malik said Pakistan needed more time to examine the
latest Indian dossier on the Mumbai attacks which contained
LeT operative Ajmal Kasab's statements about his meetings with
Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, who is also the chief of outlawed JuD,
and other alleged militant leaders.
"Give us an opportunity to examine what is a mere
statement. Give us an opportunity to go and see the locations
(Kasab) has spoken of (where he met Saeed). Let us do our
verification, for which we need time," Malik said.
"We are examining your evidence. We have not said that
the evidence is not good," he said.
India has been insisting that Pakistan should take
action against Saeed, who was freed from nearly six months of
house arrest on the orders of the Lahore High Court in June.
New Delhi has said it has provided Islamabad adequate
information linking Saeed to the planning and execution of the
Mumbai attacks.
But Malik said any step taken against Saeed would have
to stand up to scrutiny by Pakistan's judiciary. "We have to
face the court. Today he (Chidambaram) said that Hafiz Saeed
is not being tried, no case is being prepared against him.
"We arrested him when a UN embargo was applied but our
court bailed him out. The matter is sub-judice and for god's
sake, respect our courts. We respect your courts too."
Malik took several digs at Chidambaram, who is
currently visiting the US where he conveyed India's concerns
over Pakistan not taking action against the LeT and Saeed.
Malik said he would give a detailed response to
Chidambaram's allegations in a news conference to be held in
the next few days.
"But I believe that he (Chidambaram) has not been
given the five dossiers provided by us. If he had taken those
along with him to the US, he would have done justice. There
should not be any one-sided story," Malik said.
He claimed there had been no delays on the part of
Pakistan in probing the Mumbai incident whereas India had
responded to Pakistan's request for a copy of Kasab's
confessional statement after months.
He also pointed to other lapses by Indian authorities,
such as the same DNA samples being provided for Kasab and
Ismail, another terrorist who was killed in Mumbai.
Malik renewed his demand that Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh should provide Islamabad evidence about his warning that
plans were being made by Pakistan-based terror groups to carry
out more Mumbai-like attacks.
He also said India should share information about
Sabahuddin Ansari, an Indian national arrested in connection
with 26/11 attacks, and the 2007 bombing of Samjhauta Express
train in which a large number of Pakistanis were killed.
The Interior Minister also said "certain forces" did
not want to see Pakistan and India as friends but the two
countries had no option but to sit across the table and
resolve their differences.
He said he would be willing to meet the Indian
leadership in India or abroad to discuss the probe into the
Mumbai incident. PTI RHL
PMR
Islamabad, Sep 11 (PTI) Pakistan Friday claimed that
the trial of LeT operatives arrested for involvement in the
Mumbai terror attacks would be completed within four months,
even as it sought more time to examine the evidence provided
by India against the terrorist group's founder Hafiz Mohammad
Saeed.
Refuting the contention of Indian leaders like Home
Minister P Chidambaram that there had been no progress in
Pakistan in bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11
attacks, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said: "I challenge you
and say the trial (of the suspects) has started."
"After (the festival of) Eid, day-to-day hearings will
be held and proceedings will be completed within the
prescribed time limit," he said, adding it will take between
two-and-half months to four months for the trial to be
completed.
Five LeT operatives arrested earlier had already been
chargesheeted while charges against two newly-arrested
suspects will be filed soon, he told reporters.
Malik said Pakistan has already acknowledged that
"part of the conspiracy" behind the Mumbai attacks was hatched
by "non-state actors in Pakistan."
"Don't suspect our motives," he said, adding that LeT
operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, described by India
as the mastermind of the attacks, had been arrested along with
several aides.
Malik said Pakistan needed more time to examine the
latest Indian dossier on the Mumbai attacks which contained
LeT operative Ajmal Kasab's statements about his meetings with
Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, who is also the chief of outlawed JuD,
and other alleged militant leaders.
"Give us an opportunity to examine what is a mere
statement. Give us an opportunity to go and see the locations
(Kasab) has spoken of (where he met Saeed). Let us do our
verification, for which we need time," Malik said.
"We are examining your evidence. We have not said that
the evidence is not good," he said.
India has been insisting that Pakistan should take
action against Saeed, who was freed from nearly six months of
house arrest on the orders of the Lahore High Court in June.
New Delhi has said it has provided Islamabad adequate
information linking Saeed to the planning and execution of the
Mumbai attacks.
But Malik said any step taken against Saeed would have
to stand up to scrutiny by Pakistan's judiciary. "We have to
face the court. Today he (Chidambaram) said that Hafiz Saeed
is not being tried, no case is being prepared against him.
"We arrested him when a UN embargo was applied but our
court bailed him out. The matter is sub-judice and for god's
sake, respect our courts. We respect your courts too."
Malik took several digs at Chidambaram, who is
currently visiting the US where he conveyed India's concerns
over Pakistan not taking action against the LeT and Saeed.
Malik said he would give a detailed response to
Chidambaram's allegations in a news conference to be held in
the next few days.
"But I believe that he (Chidambaram) has not been
given the five dossiers provided by us. If he had taken those
along with him to the US, he would have done justice. There
should not be any one-sided story," Malik said.
He claimed there had been no delays on the part of
Pakistan in probing the Mumbai incident whereas India had
responded to Pakistan's request for a copy of Kasab's
confessional statement after months.
He also pointed to other lapses by Indian authorities,
such as the same DNA samples being provided for Kasab and
Ismail, another terrorist who was killed in Mumbai.
Malik renewed his demand that Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh should provide Islamabad evidence about his warning that
plans were being made by Pakistan-based terror groups to carry
out more Mumbai-like attacks.
He also said India should share information about
Sabahuddin Ansari, an Indian national arrested in connection
with 26/11 attacks, and the 2007 bombing of Samjhauta Express
train in which a large number of Pakistanis were killed.
The Interior Minister also said "certain forces" did
not want to see Pakistan and India as friends but the two
countries had no option but to sit across the table and
resolve their differences.
He said he would be willing to meet the Indian
leadership in India or abroad to discuss the probe into the
Mumbai incident. PTI RHL
PMR
