M A I N   N E W S

India may allow Pakistan access to 26/11 witnesses

Islamabad was told to rein in LeT Islamabad: Exactly two years before the 2008 Mumbai attacks, American officials had pressured the Pakistan government to crack down on the LeT and its front JuD but were unable to make much headway, according to a secret US diplomatic cable. A cable sent on November 27, 2006, by former US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C Crocker said the US embassy had raised the operations of the two groups with “contacts throughout the Government of Pakistan” after the LeT was designated a terrorist organisation under a UNSC resolution the previous year. — PTI

New Delhi, December 5
India may allow a Pakistani commission to travel here to interview key witnesses and other officials in connection with the trial of seven Pakistani suspects in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks’ case. Sources said Pakistan would be informed of India's stand on the issue once the government got the view of the Bombay High Court on it, possibly next week.

India, as such, does not have any problem if a commission from Pakistan comes to take statements of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R V Sawant Waghule and Investigating Officer Ramesh Mahale, who recorded 26/11 convict Ajmal Kasab's statement, and the doctors who carried out the postmortem of the victims and the terrorists.

But, the sources said, it was mandatory to take the view of the High Court as the case related to 26/11 was now pending before it. “We want the 26/11 case in Pakistan to reach its logical conclusion. We have no issues in allowing them to visit India provided the High Court gives its nod,” a source said. Special Judge M L Tahaliyani had awarded lone captured 26/11 terrorist Kasab death sentence in May, subject to its confirmation by the High Court.

On the eve of the second anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks, India had asked Pakistan to punish those responsible.

Asking Islamabad to fulfil its “obligation and commitment” to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 carnage, India regretted that no feedback had been received on several issues raised by New Delhi.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said last week that the trial of seven Pakistani suspects charged in the case had been held up because of New Delhi's delay in granting permission for a commission to visit India to interview key witnesses. — PTI