The Hindu : National : India hands over Ajmal’s letter

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Tuesday, Dec 23, 2008
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National

India hands over Ajmal’s letter

Vinay Kumar

Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan called to External Affairs Ministry

In his letter, Ajmal admits he is from Pakistan
He claims his entitlement to legal help

NEW DELHI: India on Monday handed over to Pakistan a three-page letter written by the lone surviving Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Mohammad Ajmal Amir Iman involved in the attacks in Mumbai on November 26.

Official sources said acting High Commissioner of Pakistan Afrasiab was called to the External Affairs Ministry and handed over the letter written by the Pakistani national, now in the custody of the Mumbai police. In his letter, addressed to the Pakistan High Commissioner, Ajmal admitted that he, along with the other terrorists killed, in the attacks were from Pakistan. He also sought a meeting with the official.

The terrorist claimed his entitlement to legal help from his country to fight his case in the Indian courts. The letter, said to be written in Urdu in Ajmal’s own hand, is damning proof of Pakistani involvement in the attacks. It also settles the doubt not only about Ajmal’s origins but also his accomplices involved in the attacks in which nearly 200 people were killed.

Islamabad has flip-flopped over admitting that the nine killed terrorists and Ajmal belong to Pakistan and the attacks had originated from its territory.

Senior Mumbai police officials have been quoted as saying that the letter contained minute details of each of his nine accomplices. It mentions not only their addresses but also the names of their handlers, including four important Lashkar-e-Taiba figures: Hafeez Saeed, Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Kahafa and Abu Hamza. Seeking pardon from God for his sins, he said he had tarnished Pakistan’s image.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who visited New Delhi and Islamabad separately after the attacks, asked Pakistan to take strong action and do more to rein in terror groups operating from its soil.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday asked the Pakistani government to stop living in denial mode and dismantle the terror infrastructure inside the country.