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We are duty-bound to help: Mulford

Sandeep Dikshit

Obama calls up Manmohan, assures support to counter terror

U.S. duty-bound to cooperate: Mulford
For the first time Americans targeted, says ambassador

NEW DELHI: The U.S. Administration has offered to be a part of the investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks even as its President-elect Barack Obama spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assuring full support to counter terrorism in India and expressing his deepest condolences for the victims.

Dr. Singh provided Mr. Obama about details of the terrorist strikes and the successful commando operations.

Meets Foreign Secretary

Emerging from a meeting on Saturday with Foreign Secretary Shiv Shanker Menon, U.S. Ambassador in India David Mulford said Washington is “duty-bound to cooperate, provide assistance, and to become engaged in the investigative process.”

Expressing condolences to families of the victims, Mr. Mulford noted that though the majority of the victims were Indians, “for the first time, we have seen targeting of Americans.” At least six Americans have been killed, he said.

Bush direction

“President Bush has directed us to offer cooperation to Indian authorities in any way that we can. We will be doing that. The United States is very skilled in this field. We are, as you know, engaged in a global war on terror. I want to underline the importance that we attach to these events, and to express the sympathies of the people of the U.S.,” he added.

FBI team?

Asked whether a team of the Federal Bureau of Investigation would come to India, Mr. Mulford said, “our security people will cooperate in any way they can, including coming to India to offer assistance.”

Mr. Mulford arrived from the U.S. on Saturday morning and met Mr. Menon for 30 minutes. This is the second time the U.S. has offered assistance in the terror attack probe.

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s offer of assistance to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was turned down.

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