Bring 26/11 attackers to justice: US envoy

Timothy J Roemer, the new US ambassador to India, said on Wednesday that those responsible for the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, including Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, have to be brought to justice.

Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik has often said that India has not provided enough evidence to nail Saeed. He was freed from house arrest by a Lahore court in June, and Islamabad has not yet got down to bringing fresh charges against him. But home minister P Chidambaram insists that enough material has been provided to Pakistan.

At his first news conference, Roemer gave a long-winded reply when asked to clarify Washington’s position on Saeed. “The US position is firm, resolute and bold. We are committed to shutting down terrorist networks around the world and shutting down financing of the networks. We want to work with the government of India in enhancing our cooperation to achieve those results. We want to bring the perpetrators of the bloodthirsty attack on Mumbai to justice, wherever they are. I have communicated that to my government several times… people held in Pakistan over the Mumbai attacks need to be brought to justice, and that includes everybody that you have mentioned,” he said.

Roemer’s position is contrary to what US officials have advised New Delhi privately, which is not to press for Saeed’s conviction as there is little evidence against him. Instead, the emphasis must be on Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi and others who are now facing prosecution.

Indian officials privately concede that Saeed’s name was first mentioned by Mohammed Ajmal Kasab in his initial confession to the police.