Mumbai attackers will meet their day of reckoning: Hillary

Noting that Pakistan houses a "syndicate of terrorism", US secretary of state Hillary
Clinton today said her country is watching the actions being taken by Islamabad against the scourge, and expected that perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks would meet their "day of reckoning".

Clinton emphasised that terrorism is a threat to all, including those who have given haven to such elements, and every country should stand up to defeat the menace.

"We are certainly watching and expecting that there will be justice and those who launched the horrific attacks in Mumbai will meet their day of reckoning," she said.

Clinton, who will meet prime Minister manmohan Singh and hold talks with external affairs minister SM Krishna tomorrow, said she realises that the "syndicate" of terrorism
in Pakistan is "troubling" India, besides the US. "I have also sent messages very directly to the Pakistani people that this [fight against terrorism] is in the interest of Pakistan, the future stability and security of Pakistan," the secretary of state, who is on a five-day
visit to India, said.

She said the US had "seen an evolving commitment, not only by Pakistani government but also Pakistani people and a recognition that terrorism within a country is a threat
to that country".

In the last six months, "we believe there is a commitment to fight terrorism that permeates the entire government [of Pakistan]. That is what our expectation is as
well," Clinton said. 

She said the US is talking to Pakistan at all levels — government, military, civilian and intelligence — on the issue of the fight against terror. "We are watching it and we hope they will make progress against what is a syndicate of terrorism — Al-Qaida, Taliban and many other terror organistions are connected in a way that is deeply troubling to us, and I know to India. But it is also now troubling Pakistan," she said.

Emphasising that nobody is safe anywhere from terrorism, she said every country has a responsibility to "stand up against the scourge. This is not limited to any one country. It is an expectation that we have from every nation because we think networking of terrorists across the globe, as we saw in Jakarta, is a threat to all people, particularly in democracies such as the US, India, Indonesia, who are targeted by terrorists for the very fact that we are living free and independent lives in sovereign, stable nations."

Clinton said the US is "working to make sure every country sees terrorism as we do because we happen to believe that terrorism is a threat to all, everywhere and there is
nowhere to get safe havens for terrorists without putting ourselves at risk".