India needs to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to ensure that Pakistan acts against the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks, Special Public Prosecutor and Padma Shri awardee Ujjwal Nikam has said.
“We have given tangible evidence about the covert act committed by the 10 terrorists following the criminal conspiracy hatched on Pakistan’s soil. The arguments made by Pakistan that we have not given enough evidence is rubbish,” he told The Hindu .
He said Pakistan is in a state of denial about the involvement of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed and his chief operational commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi. In 2012, Mr. Nikam was part of the delegation to Pakistan and had met the director Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan.
Referring to the deposition of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley before a special court in Mumbai via video conferencing in 2016, Mr. Nikam said, “Headley gave enough details of the conspiracy and the nexus between the Inter Services Intelligence and LeT.” Headley had given photographs of Mumbai to LeT operatives. This has also been on record before a Chicago court.
“We contacted the American authorities who agreed with us, and then with the help of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, we gave all necessary evidence to Pakistan to ensure they punish the perpetrators,” Mr. Nikam said.
What Pakistan has done in terms of investigation and prosecution is superficial, he said. “They have only arrested those who provided the vessels and finance, but not those who planned the entire attack.”
