New Delhi: The involvement of Pakistan in the July 11 Mumbai train blasts figured at a meeting between Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal here on Wednesday, official sources said.

Earlier, Mumbai Police Commissioner A.N. Roy and Anti-Terrorist Squad chief K.P. Raghuvanshi apprised Mr. Duggal of the evidence of the involvement of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in the blasts.

To present evidence

Mr. Menon, after taking charge on Sunday, said India would present evidence to Pakistan of the involvement of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and judge Islamabad by its action and not by its words.

The Anti-Terrorist Squad had claimed that the confessions of at least two alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives would help in establishing the case against the accused and prove the involvement of the ISI in the blasts that killed about 200 civilians and injured hundreds.

The Mumbai police last week said they had solved the case and accused the ISI of masterminding the explosions that were executed by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Students Islamic Movement of India activists.

Names to be presented

PTI reports:

New Delhi will soon present to Islamabad the names of Pakistanis suspected to be involved in the blasts, along with evidence, through the joint anti-terror mechanism recently agreed upon, highly placed sources here said on Wednesday.

Two of the Pakistanis are dead but the remaining are believed to have either escaped to their country or have been hiding in India.

Brain behind conspiracy

Lashkar-e-Taiba commander in Pakistan's Bahawalput district Azam Cheema is suspected to be the brain behind the conspiracy.

Neither Mr. Menon nor Mr. Roy spoke to the media after the separate meetings the two had with the Home Secretary.

Beginning of

process

The 30-minute meeting between Mr. Duggal and Mr. Menon is seen as the beginning of the process of finalising India's stand at the Foreign Secretary-level meeting that is likely to take place here next month.

Returning from his visit to South Africa, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Pakistan's response to the evidence India gives of its involvement in the blasts would be a test of its sincerity in controlling terrorism.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail