M A I N   N E W S

Mumbai blasts: India, USA share evidence
Rajeev Sharma
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 6
India is understood to have shared with the US evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the July 11 Mumbai blasts.

The US Ambassador here, Mr David C. Mulford, hinted at this today when he was asked a question on whether India had shown evidence of the involvement of the ISI in the blasts. “Yes, we have had discussion on this matter. That’s all I can say at the moment because it is our policy not to go public on issues of counter-terrorism. I am being as straight forward as I can,” he said.

It is learnt that the strategic brass of India and the US have been in touch with each other on the subject. India is giving final touches to an array of nailing evidences that have come to light, indicating the involvement of 11 Pakistanis.

Mumbai Police Commissioner A. N. Roy has already gone on record saying that the ISI was behind the blasts.

The evidence is believed to be in the form of phone numbers and addresses in Pakistan of the 11 suspects who have left trails. India plans to hand over a dossier of evidence to Pakistan whenever the maiden meeting of the Indo-Pakistan joint mechanism on combating terrorism takes place. The date and venue for the meeting are expected to be decided when the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries meet here later this month.

Mr Mulford refused to get into the controversy generated by US Ambassador in Pakistan Ryan C. Croker, who at a news conference in Islamabad on October 3 advised India not to blame Pakistan for the Mumbai blasts without proof and suggested that New Delhi should resolve the issue through “direct contact” with Islamabad.