Monday, December 22, 2008

India Gives Pakistan Surviving Gunman's Letter

Via AP -

India on Monday said the pressure put on Pakistan by world leaders over last month's attacks on Mumbai was inadequate and handed over a letter allegedly written by a surviving gunman to Islamabad.

Indian foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said Pakistan's acting High Commissioner Afrasiab Mehdi Hashmi was summoned to the ministry and given the letter purportedly written by Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman.

"In his letter, Kasab says he is a Pakistani national and that he wants to meet the Pakistan high commissioner" (ambassador) in India, the Press Trust of India added.

A ministry official who did not want to be named told AFP a photocopy of Iman's original letter had been handed over.

Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee meanwhile said he wanted to see more results from US-led attempts to force Pakistan to co-operate with the probe into the attacks, which India blames on Pakistan-based militants.

"There has been some effort so far by the international community but this is not enough," Mukherjee told a meeting of India's ambassadors called to New Delhi to discuss the November 26 Mumbai siege.

Asked whether a military response to the attacks was being considered, he said India would "explore all options" to push Pakistan on its promise to crack down on cross-border terrorism.

Mukherjee said India had "so far acted with utmost restraint" after gunmen killed 163 people in Mumbai -- but he added that it could not afford to stand back and rely on others to tackle Pakistan.

Nine of the attackers were also killed, while Iman was arrested and is in Mumbai police custody.

"While we continue to persuade the international community and Pakistan, we are also clear that ultimately it is we who have to deal with this problem," he said.

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