Jundal, 26/11, dominate Indo-Pak talks; Pak denies state role

Armed with evidence gathered from arrested LeT terrorist Abu Jundal, India today made it clear that taking action against the perpetrators of Mumbai attacks will be the "biggest confidence-building measure of all" by Pakistan, which rejected involvement of its state agencies in the 26/11 carnage.

Pushing Pakistan to take action against the guilty in Mumbai attacks, New Delhi asserted that the ongoing interrogation of Jundal, the LeT handler of the terrorists who carried out Mumbai terror strikes, has added "urgency" to this matter.

"I emphasised that terrorism was the biggest threat to peace and security in the region and bringing the guilty to justice in the Mumbai terror attacks would be the biggest CBM of all....The ongoing interrogation of Abu Jundal has now added urgency to the matter.

"I did take up the matter with (Pakistan) Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani and shared information with him," Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said at a joint press interaction with Jilani here.

Noting that extensive information on perpetrators of 26/11 has been provided to Pakistan during Home Secretary- level talks in Islamabad in May, Mathai said, "We will continue to pursue this matter with determination to its logical conclusion."

Asked about Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement that Jundal's has revealed that Pakistan state actors were involved in the Mumbai attacks, Jilani said, "I would very strongly reject any insinuation of any involvement of any state agency in any acts of terrorism in India."

However, on Jundal's revelations that Pakistan was involved in Mumbai carnage which killed 166 people, Jilani said he has assured Mathai that whatever evidence that India has should be shared with Pakistan and it will investigate the matter. Pakistan is even willing to offer "a joint investigation" in the whole affair, Jilani said. Noting that he has shared the outcome of the ongoing investigation of Jundal provided to MEA, Mathai said India was looking forward to Pakistan for taking action on the information "conveyed".

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