26/11: Pak ‘dragging its feet,’ says Chidambaram

India said it would have to conclude that Pakistan is dragging its feet on bringing terror accused in Mumbai attacks to justice if it does not put on trial people including Hafiz Saeed, founder of terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, while reacting to Pakistan’s claim that India had not provided any evidence against Saeed, said “Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi is one of the masterminds. There are others. We know their names and Pakistan also knows their names.

“If they do not bring the others to trial, then I would have to conclude, reluctantly and regretfully that they are dragging their feet,” Mr. Chidambaram told reporters here.

He was responding to questions that Pakistan had spared Saeed in its chargesheet filed in an anti-terrorist court accusing seven other Lashkar terrorists including Lakhvi.

India has been demanding trial of Saeed, against whom Interpol also issued Red Corner Notice for his alleged role in the 26/11 Mumbai attack. Islamabad, however, claims that India had only shared information about Saeed and no evidence.

Pakistan Federal Investigating Agency, in its report to the court conducting the trial of seven accused, including Lakhvi, states that there is “sufficient incriminating evidence on record against those arrested for orchestrating the Mumbai attacks.”