Note the highlighted section and sound off, readers. From the CBC, July 14:
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Friday that Pakistan is still harbouring “terrorist elements,” jeopardizing the peace process between the two countries as tensions remain high in the wake of the Mumbai bombings.
“We are also certain that these terrorist modules are instigated, inspired and supported by elements across the border without which they cannot act with such devastating effect,” he said.
Singh made the comments after visiting with victims of Tuesday’s rail system attacks. At least 200 people were killed and more than 700 were injured when bombs exploded nearly simultaneously in seven locations on the train system.
“Pakistan in 2004 had solemnly given an assurance that Pakistani territory will not be used to promote, encourage, train and abet terrorist elements directed against India,” said Singh. “That assurance has to be fulfilled before the peace process or other processes can make progress.”
Mumbai police identified another suspect in its bombing investigation Friday, the third man to be sought in the attacks.
Police said a man known only as “Rahil” was being sought in connection with the blasts but gave no more details.
On Thursday, Indian authorities released the photos of two suspects, identified as Sayyad Zabiuddin and Zulfeqar Fayyaz, but provided few details about them.
Local police officials in the state of Andhra Pradesh on Thursday said a man named “Abdullah” was in custody, giving no further details.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Indian officials say they suspect Kashmiri militant organization Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, which is based in Pakistan. Lashkar, which has denied its involvement, has previously been blamed for explosions in Indian cities.
Allegations ‘baseless’: Pakistani official
Police have conducted raids this week and detained hundreds of people for questioning. Officials said they were rounded up only to help with the investigations.
Several Indian newspapers reported on front pages Friday that Indian intelligence agencies have told the government that the attacks were planned by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency.
Pakistan angrily dismissed the reports. “This is baseless, and we reject it,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told the Associated Press.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has pledged his support to Indian officials in the hunt for suspects.
On Thursday, a representative from a group claiming to be a new al-Qaeda cell called on Indian Muslims “to fight for freedom and Islam and choose jihad as their way to achieve freedom and establishing Islamic ways.”
Nepal probes connection
On Friday in Nepal, two Pakistani men were ordered by a judge in Kathmandu to be held in custody for five days pending further investigation into their possible connection to the Mumbai bombings.
Police official Dhak Bahadur Karki told the Associated Press that Gulam Hussein Chimma, 53, of Lahore, and Aftab Muhaddin Siddhiqui, 56, of Karachi, had been arrested in connection with the seizure of RDX explosives in 2001 in Kathmandu.
Police were also looking into whether the men were involved in any way in Tuesday’s bombings.
The two suspects, who were arrested Tuesday, told the judge they were innocent of all charges.
Police said the alleged handlers of the RDX had left the country just before or after the seizure, resulting in the five-year delay in making the arrests. Indian television channel Aaj Tak reported that Nepal police were tipped off about the two Pakistanis by the Indian Embassy.
See our last posts on Pakistan and the Mumbai terror.
