Chidambaram to visit US with dossier on Mumbai terror

NEW DELHI: As part of efforts to drum up international pressure for nailing Islamabad's lies, home minister P Chidambaram will travel to the US next week armed with evidence about involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in the Mumbai attacks.

"I will be going to the US next week. The dates are being finalised," Chidambaram told the press in New Delhi on Saturday.

Asked about his mission, he said the Ministry of External Affairs has prepared dossiers on evidence relating to Mumbai attacks and he would discuss them with his interlocutors in Washington. Details are being finalised, Chidambaram said.

The home minister is expected to meet US homeland security secretary Michael Chertoff and possibly secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. A meeting with members of transition team of president-elect Barack Obama is also likely.

Chidambaram's discussions with American leaders could cover a broad ambit including the steps taken by the Bush Administration in the aftermath of 9/11 attacks after a lot of critical self appraisal.

US Ambassador to India David C Mulford, on Saturday, met Chidambaram, apparently to tie up details regarding his visit.

External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee has said India will share evidence regarding the role of Pakistan-based elements with the world community, which he feels should do more to ensure that perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks are brought to justice.

He has said that the international community has not done enough to build pressure on Pakistan in making it fulfil its
commitments on not allowing its soil to be used to terrorism directed against India.

The evidence, the Indian government has put together, includes the confession of the lone Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist held in Mumbai terror attack Ajmal Amir.

The evidence will mostly include Ajmal's confession to the police wherein he has given details of how he became a motivated terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba from a normal youth of Faridkot in Pakistan's Punjab province.

It also includes records of logbook recovered from the vessel in which the 10 terrorists came from Karachi, records of satellite phone used by the attackers and transcript of conversations between the attackers and their handlers in Pakistan, sources said.

The dossier also includes the corroborative evidence tracking the journey of the attackers from Karachi to Mumbai, they said.

Investigators have found evidence to show that the terrorists, who struck at the Taj Hotel, Trident Hotel and Nariman House on November 26, were in touch with their handlers in Karachi even while their three-day engagement with security forces was on.

The evidence will be shared with Pakistan along with the US, UK, China and other countries which have influence on Islamabad.