On Board Special Aircraft: With Pakistan-
based Jammat-ud-Dawa seeking lifting of UN ban on it, India
on Friday said any new decision on the issue should be taken only
after consulting it as it concerns security of the country.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said India
believes that JuD was the "brain" behind the Mumbai attacks
and there was no reason to "revise our views".
"We are in constant touch with friendly nations,
including the US. We have conveyed our concerns so far Hafiz
Saeed is concerned.
"We hold the view, and there is no reason why we
should revise our stand. Hafiz Saeed was the brain behind the
attacks on Mumbai, so it is necessary that friendly countries,
before acting any further, they would consult India and also
take into account India's security concerns," he told
accompanying journalists while returning from a two-day visit
to Myanmar.
JuD was banned by the UN Security Council in December
last year following evidence of its involvement in the Mumbai
attacks.
JuD chief Hafiz Saeed had last month sought lifting of
ban claiming that his group was not involved in the attacks on
Mumbai.
Krishna said India "never ceased" to talk to Pakistan
on 26/11 and was pursuing all channels to achieve its goal of
bringing to justice those responsible for the Mumbai terror
attacks.
"Since 26/11 all channels have been active. We have
never ceased in talking to Pakistan on 26/11," Krishna said.
"We will continue to use all the channels that are
available in pursuing in our goal, our objectives of getting
to justice those who are responsible for the crime," he said.
There were reports about representatives of India and
Pakistan meeting in a south east asian nation recently.
On whether India would demand access to terror
suspects David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana, Krishna said
the US investigators have been handed over evidence related to
their activities and they are pursuing the case.
"The FBI team had come to India and they had intensive
consultations with our intelligence agencies and we will
provide them with whatever we have been able to gather in
terms of their activities and how they were involved in the
attack on Mumbai," he said.
Krishna said that based on this information, "I think
they will be able to pursue their line of investigation."
Asked whether India would press for the extradition of
Headley and Rana, Krishna merely said "the international
dictum is either prosecute or extradite. One of these two
things is being done and the US is a friendly country."
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 11, 2009, 22:46