Pakistani Taliban behind Times Square bomb attempt: US

"Pakistan is the "centre of terrorism" and all terrorist activities, whether in Afghanistan or US, could be traced to Pakistan"._____________Home minister of India P Chidambaram

 'It looks like he was working on behalf of the Pakistani Taliban,' Brennan said. The finding 'underscores the serious threat that we face from a very determined enemy', he said.

The finding could increase US pressure on Pakistan to clamp down on the terrorist network. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has already warned Pakistan that if a terror attack like the New York bombing were to be successful and found to be originated from that country, 'there would be very severe consequences'.
 

Pakistan-based groups posed as much threat to the West as they did to India______Chidambaram

“The camps must be closed. Training must come to an end.''

He said it would be “naïve” for Western countries to think that terrorists operating from Pakistan posed a threat to India alone.

“Once you allow these terror groups to train, recruit and build capacity to strike, they can strike in India, they can strike in the U.K., they can strike in Denmark as they were planning out of the Karachi project,” he said.

He added: “No country is truly safe...Don't think that India alone is under threat. Every country is under threat from these groups and the Lashkar-e-Taiba today is like the Al Qaeda, a multi-country group.”

FBI shared information about LeT plot against India: Chidambaram

FBI foils LeT plan to carry out major terror attack in India

Pakistan is responsible for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir

Blaming Pakistan for continuing its support to militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Chidambaram said: “They [Pakistan] are training and brainwashing the youth to create mayhem in India, and there is no let-up in their support to militancy.” However, thanks to the tremendous work done by security forces, there was a marked change in the security scenario, he said. The number of violent incidents in the first nine months this year stood at 395, the lowest during the period in the past 8-9 years, he said.
He attributed the violence in the State to infiltration from across the international border and the Line of Control. Better systems to check infiltration had been put in place, and consequently there was a dip in the violence.

Now we want to know who are the brains, who were the handlers...

"Now we want to know who are the brains, who were the handlers...And why they are not being punished...So let Pakistan demonstrate its determination to punish them," he said.

US asks Pak to take action against perpetrators of 26/11

'I am impressed with what US has done post 9/11' : Chidambaram

I was quite impressed with what they have done (after 9/11). Some of the practices can be applied to India's mega-cities like Delhi, Mumbai, etc.,

Chidambaram said he has learnt valuable security tips from the New York Police Department (NYPD) and will implement them in securing India's mega-cities against terrorist attacks.

Security threats from Pakistan have not lessened: Chidambaram

Wrapping up his four-day U.S. visit, Mr. Chidambaram told reporters here that he was going back to India with a “lot of ideas.” One of these was establishing something on the lines of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre of the U.S.

He said he had briefed the U.S. officials about Pakistan not prosecuting perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks, including the mastermind Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, who was roaming free in that country despite evidence provided by India.

“I did brief them on the state of the trial of Ajmal Kasab [the lone surviving Mumbai attack terrorist] in India and I also did mention about no progress in Pakistan in respect of the five or six people they have arrested. And Hafeez Sayeed [LeT founder] remains a free man. I think that is enough. They know to draw the lessons from that statement,” he said.

What else can be concrete proof!

Asked why India was not satisfied, Home minister of India P Chidambaram replied "Because they are not arresting the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks. They are still on Pakistan soil. We know their names...we have shared their names with them. They are not investigating the case. The trial hasn't opened yet. It will be a year on the 26th of November.

"India should not doubt our sincerity in handling this case. Instead of levelling allegations, they should provide us with concrete proof so that we could take this case forward in a meaningful way," foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit said.

"The evidence that we have presented tells any investigator, any prosecutor what Hafiz Saeed did, where he was, whom he met, what he told them, what his role was. If that is not evidence to continue investigation against Hafeez Sayeed what else is evidence," said Chidambaram while pointing out that he himself was a "trained lawyer" who should know such aspects.

So Mr. Basit it's not for the judiciary to arrest the perpetrators, it's for the investigating agency to do that. You know there is prima facie evidence against them! So why delay! What else can be concrete proof! Does your government need video recording of everything! Well even if that can be provided you people are going to say it's not concrete evidence.

Don't doubt our sincerity in 26/11 probe, give proof: Pak

ISLAMABAD: With India accusing it of "deliberately stifling" the probe into Mumbai attacks, Pakistan on Monday said New Delhi should assist it in investigation by giving "concrete proof" instead of making allegations about its sincerity.

"India should not doubt our sincerity in handling this case. Instead of levelling allegations, they should provide us with concrete proof so that we could take this case forward in a meaningful way," foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit said.

Basit said Pakistan's judiciary would decide on the dossiers provided by India with information regarding the Mumbai attacks. "We want to make it clear to India that this is a purely judicial matter and the governments of Pakistan and India cannot do anything about this," he told BBC.

"Only the courts can take a decision on the dossiers," he said, adding that court proceedings had begun against five suspects arrested by Pakistani authorities in connection with the attacks. "The matter is now in the court and it is incorrect to comment on this," Basit said.

Asked about Indian home minister P Chidambaram's remarks about Pakistan's "unwillingness" to prosecute Laskhar-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Saeed, Basit said such comments went against the spirit of the joint statement issued by the Pakistani and Indian premiers after their meeting Sharm el-Sheikh in July.

India put its composite dialogue with Pakistan on hold in the wake of Mumbai attacks, blamed on LeT.

Chidambaram had on Saturday accused Pakistan of "deliberately stifling" the 26/11 probe.

Action against the perpetrators of 26/11 strikes was a condition for resumption of dialogue

We are thoroughly, totally dissatisfied with the Pakistani response.

Asked why India was not satisfied, he replied "Because they are not arresting the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks. They are still on Pakistan soil. We know their names...we have shared their names with them. They are not investigating the case. The trial hasn't opened yet. It will be a year on the 26th of November."

Where is the trial? Where is the chargesheet? When is a trial starting? When is the first witness being examined?

"The evidence that we have presented tells any investigator, any prosecutor what Hafiz Saeed did, where he was, whom he met, what he told them, what his role was. If that is not evidence to continue investigation against Hafeez Sayeed what else is evidence," said Chidambaram while pointing out that he himself was a "trained lawyer" who should know such aspects.

Asked what the evidence against Saeed was, he read out from some document: "December 2007- January 2008 he was in a place where (lone arrested terrorist Ajmal) Kasab and others were trained.

"He spoke to the trainees on many occasions. There was another training camp at a place called Chekhalabandi Mountain of Muzaffarabad.

"Hafiz Saeed was in the camp and met the trainees. He was accompanied by a person known as 'Major General Saab. Hafiz Saeed finally selected the trainees and gave them new names. Kasab was given a new name 'Abu Mujahib'. That name was given by Hafiz Saeed."

Let the process and that's the right process, continue

"If Pakistan is sincere about fighting terror, they must expedite the trial. So far, they have not even commenced the trial, so how can we say they are serious about prosecuting those responsible for 26/11," he told CNN-IBN.

"Remaining on death row is not a happy situation. A prisoner on death row suffers more then a person who will hang tomorrow."

"We have a slow and deliberative process to come to a conclusion and nothing needs to be done about it. Let the process and that's the right process, continue," he said.

How can an insurgent group offer ceasefire to a sovereign nation

"Let there be no illusion. The terror threat to the country has not diminished. During the last six months, a significant number of potential terrorists including Madani have been arrested.

He said terror was a global phenomenon but that did not give any solace to India because "one of the epicentres of terror is the country on our border".

"As long as they indulge in murder, threat, extortion, there's no question of talking to them. How can an insurgent group offer ceasefire to a sovereign nation," he said ridiculing reports that government would accept ceasefire offer by DHD-J alias "Black Widow" militant group in Assam.

The Home Minister said the government has two-pronged approach to deal with the Left Wing extremism -- clear and hold the territory held by Naxals and then carry out development. "We will face the challenge squarely," he said.

Pakistan's 26/11 queries an 'endless exercise': Chidambaram

Chidambaram said no non-state actor can launch terror attack of this scale and magnitude on India without the support of the establishment. "It is for Pakistan to act against these elements," he said.

Halt operations in Lalgarh: Mamata to Centre

Chidambaram wants police in Maoist belt to stick to procedures

There is a standard operation procedure for police to move in naxal-affected areas. If they follow these, such things will not happen.

Centre declares Maoists a terrorist organization