Astana: India on Friday hoped that the US will
provide it access to Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana,
arrested in Chicago over the Mumbai attacks, in the wake of
his claim that he provided support to 26/11 terrorists at the
behest of Pakistani government and ISI.
Rana`s statement has only confirmed further what India
has always maintained about the involvement of Pakistan`s ISI
in the 2008 terrorist attack, sources said.
They said India hoped the US would grant it access to him
so that he could be questioned further on the conspiracy
behind the 26/11 attacks in which 166 people were killed.
Earlier, the US had granted India access to Rana`s
associate David Coleman Headley, an LeT operative who has
confessed to plotting the Mumbai attacks.
At the same time, the sources said the dialogue process
initiated with Pakistan recently would not be affected by
this development.
The request by Indian investigators to question Rana was
sent to authorities in the US after gathering evidence about
his involvement in the planning of the 26/11 attacks and a
reply from Washington is expected by May-end.
The request was sent under the Mutual legal Assistance
Treaty between the two countries.
In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs said
yesterday that there is no dilution in India`s position that
all those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks should be
brought to justice expeditiously and the on-going dialogue
with Pakistan will seek to address the country`s
terrorism-related concerns.
"It is our expectation that all those responsible for
the Mumbai terrorist attack will be brought to justice
expeditiously. This position is shared by the international
community at large, particularly those countries whose
nationals were killed during this horrific attack," It said.
PTI
