Washington, October 17
Two of the three wives of "passionately anti-Indian" David Headley had forewarned the FBI of the Mumbai attacks, the media here reported, even as the US today said it had shared with India the general "threat information" it had received at that time.

Headley's American wife had given the FBI in New York a tip-off about his LeT links in 2005 while his young Moroccan wife had told authorities in the US embassy in Islamabad, less than a year before the 2008 Mumbai attacks, that the Pakistani-American was plotting a terror strike.

"Despite those warnings by two of his three wives, Headley roamed far and wide on Lashkar's behalf between 2002 and 2009, receiving training in small-caliber weapons and counter surveillance, scouting targets for attacks, and building a network of connections that extended from Chicago to Pakistan's lawless northwestern frontier," The New York Times said.

Mike Hammer, spokesman of the National Security Council, White House, told PTI: "Had we known about the timing and other specifics related to the Mumbai attacks, we would have immediately shared those details with the government of India."

He made the remarks when asked about an investigative report on Mumbai attacks published by ProPublica, an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.

He said the US "regularly provided threat information" to Indian officials in 2008 before the attacks in Mumbai. "It is our government's solemn responsibility to notify other nations of possible terrorist activity on their soil," he said.

Separately, an Indian source, who was involved in the investigation of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, said on the condition of anonymity, that India did receive the information, which was general and not specific in nature.

Headley's 27-year-old Moroccan wife, Faiza Outalha, claims she even showed the US embassy officials in Islamabad a photo of Headley and herself in the Taj Mahal Hotel, where they stayed twice in April and May 2007. "Hotel records confirm their stay," the NYT reported.

Outalha said in two meetings with officials at the US embassy in Islamabad, she told them that her husband had many friends who were known members of Lashkar-e-Taiba. "She said she told them that he was passionately anti-Indian, but that he travelled to India all the time for business deals that never seemed to amount to much," the report said.

Headley, who has pleaded guilty to all 12 terror charges under a plea bargain, was known both to Pakistani and American security officials long before his arrest as a terrorist, the daily said.

An examination of Pakistani-American Headley's movements in the years before the Mumbai attacks, based on interviews in Washington, Pakistan, India and Morocco, shows that he had overlapping, even baffling, contacts among seemingly disparate groups - Pakistani intelligence, terrorists and American drug investigators, the NYT said. — PTI

Pakistan has taken serious notice of a recent statement given by the Indian Army chief about his 'threat perception' from the neighbouring nation, and has called it irresponsible, jingoistic and unwise.

In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit here said the repetitive mentioning by Indian high command about war under the nuclear scenario is "not only irresponsible but also jingoistic and unwise".

"Such statements and grandstanding by India are evidently unhelpful to the cause of promoting peace, security and stability in South Asia," said the statement.

The statement further said that Pakistan remains committed to a purposeful and result-oriented dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir, and that such irresponsible statements were aimed at damaging the efforts leading to establish peace and stability in the region.

Earlier, during a seminar organised by the Indian Army's think-tank on emerging roles and tasks of the Indian Army, Indian Army Chief V.K. Singh had called Pakistan and China "irritants" for his country.

Outlining distinctions in threat on two fronts, he reportedly said that if Pakistan's internal turmoil was a cause of serious concern, the growing military might of China had direct ramifications for India.

Gen VK Singh ruled out conventional war with China or Pakistan, saying that there were always chances of 'skirmishes,' as he made a strong case of building conventional capability in a nuclear scenario as both the neighbours had an active atomic programme.

(With inputs from ANI)

Islamabad, October 17
At least 27 persons were killed and over 60 injured in various incidents of violence that broke out on Saturday night, hours ahead of the bypoll being held today for an assembly seat in Karachi, capital of Pakistan’s Sindh province.

Most of the killings are believed to be the result of political enmity between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP).

ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed addressed a press conference yesterday and announced the party would “boycott the polls in protest”. “The provincial government has failed to control the law and order and we don’t think it is advisable to go to polls in such an environment,” he argued.

MQM central leader Wasim Aftab said that the “PS-94 seat belonged to MQM as our candidates have been winning from there with thumping majority. ANP wanted to run away from the contest fearing defeat and are raising a storm in a tea cup”, he remarked.

Soon after these fiery statements, clashes broke out in various parts of the city and supporters of both parties resorted to indiscriminate firing in a bid to take control ahead of the polling. A mob torched five vehicles as the city came to a virtual standstill, the police said.

Ironically, the MQM and the ANP are both members of the Sindh’s coalition that is headed by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Earlier, a spokesman of the Sindh Rangers had warned of “firing and a suicide attack during the polls on Sunday”. But the election commission announced that “the voting will take place as per schedule”.

The Urdu-speaking MQM and the Pashto-speaking ANP have been constantly at loggerheads for the past several years to take political control of Karachi, the country’s financial hub.

The PS-94 constituency was vacated after the target-killing of MQM legislator Raza Haider Aug 3. MQM blamed the killing on ANP, who vehemently denied the allegation. More than 100 people were killed in violent clashes after the assassination. — IANS

BRIEFLY

WHALE OF A TIME: A visitor gets a kiss from a killer whale at Kamogawa Sea World in Kamogawa, Tokyo, on Sunday. — AP/PTI

Titanic survivor’s tale of disaster sold at British auction
London: An account of the sinking of the Titanic written by a survivor who was secretary to a controversial aristocrat has sold for £20,000, auctioneers in Britain said on Sunday. Laura Francatelli wrote of how she heard an "awful rumbling" as the liner went down before hearing "screams and cries" from hundreds of drowning passengers. She was travelling with her employer, Scottish landowner Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon and his wife Lady Lucy Christiana when the disaster struck in 1912. — AFP

Pioneer of fractal geometry dead
Washington: Benoit Mandelbrot, a French-American mathematician, who discovered mathematical shapes known as fractals, which enabled scientists to measure previously immeasurable objects, has died of cancer. He was 85. Mandelbrot developed fractals as a mathematical way of understanding the infinite complexity of nature. The concept has been used to measure coastlines, clouds and other natural phenomena and had far-reaching effects in physics, biology and astronomy. — PTI

Australians celebrate first-ever saint
Sydney: Thousands of jubilant Australians gathered to celebrate the life of Mary MacKillop, a pioneering schoolteacher who was anointed today as the country's first saint. Queues stretched almost a kilometre at MacKillop's Sydney tomb, where more then 15,000 people stopped throughout the day to receive communion and seek the late nun's blessing ahead of her canonisation in Rome. MacKillop has been credited with scores of miracles, two recognised by the Vatican. — AFP

‘Blair left 10 Downing with 76 gifts’
London: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair took with him a total of 76 gifts while leaving 10 Downing Street three years back, including 12 expensive wrist watches and three electric guitars given to him by rock stars. The full catalogue of 76 gifts handed over and which he chose to keep during his time in office was made public after a 10-month Freedom of Information campaign, the Sunday Express reported. — PTI

Pak anti-terror courts acquit 700
Islamabad: Anti-terrorism courts in Pakistan's Punjab province have freed the accused in 306 high-profile cases after witnesses retracted out of fear while suspects in 372 other cases of terrorism were acquitted on the basis of compromise between the parties or on merit this year. — PTI

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his wife Lyudmila participate in the All-Russian population census at their residence outside Moscow on Saturday. Russia on Thursday launched a two-week population census, its first since 2002 and second in its post-Soviet history. — AP/PTI