Pakistan failed to try Mumbai attack culprits: U.S. Congressman

The US Congressman wants Pakistan to handover the 26/11 masterminds either to India or present them before the international court in Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity

Chairman of the US House Foreign Relations Committee Ed Royce during a media interaction, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: V. Sudershan

Echoing India’s stand to prosecute the culprits behind the Mumbai attacks in 2008, US Congressman and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, on Tuesday said Pakistan Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) is supporting them and called on Pakistan to hand over those responsible.

“We know that the voice we hear on the documentary that was done on the attacks is today taking visitors in Pakistan and has not been brought to the court of justice,” he said in an interaction at the Vivekananda International Foundation referring to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi one of the key masterminds behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks. 

Mr. Royce, former co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India,is leading a bipartisan Congressional delegation to India.

He called on Pakistan to handover Mumbai attack masterminds either to India or present them before the international court in Hague to be tried for crimes against humanity.

India has been concerned with the delay on the part of Pakistan in completing the trial into the attacks. 

On the support to terrorist elements Mr. Royce said: “My own opinion is that the civilian government in Pakistan is not the institution that is supporting the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)… But my belief is that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is supporting LeT and other groups.”

On this note he stressed on the need for high level engagement between US intelligence agencies, Homeland security officials and their Indian counterparts. 

Mr. Royce also spoke about the creeping ideological takeover through Deobandi schools in Pakistan and blamed it on the elements in the Military establishment and “certain families in the Gulf states” who are funding the Deobandi schools in Pakistan and Central Asia.

Thumbs up for budget

Describing his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday as the “highpoint” of his visit, Mr. Royce gave thumbs up to the recent budget presented by the government. 

He observed that bilateral trade can be increased fivefold from the current $100 billion much faster, “If our governments cut through unnecessary red tape,” and added: “We are absolutely bullish on the economic opportunities in India.”