Mumbai attack partly planned in Pak, says Malik

After a spate of flip-flops, Pakistan on Thursday finally admitted that some part of the conspiracy behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks was planned in the country and six persons have been arrested in this connection.

After a spate of flip-flops, Pakistan on Thursday finally admitted that "some part of the conspiracy" behind the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks was planned in the country and six persons have been arrested in this connection.
u00a0
Pakistan's response to India's dossier on Mumbai strikes was handed over to India's High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal with a list of 30 questions.

Highlights of Pak remarks on Mumbai terror attacks

> Some part of the conspiracy behind the strikes plotted in Pakistan > FIR lodged against nine persons, six arrested > All booked under Anti-Terrorism Act > Mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi located and under investigation > Hamad Ameen Sadiq, who facilitated money transfer to the terrorists, arrested > Another Pak national Javed Iqbal, who acquired the VoIP phones for attackers in Spain, arrested > Pakistan wants Ajmal Amir Kasab's statement made in court > Pak seeks answers from India to 30 questions, including information on finger prints and DNA samples of all the terrorists

Islamabad also sought further information about Mumbai attackers including their fingerprints and DNA samples. "Some part of the conspiracy related to the Mumbai attacks was planned in Pakistan," Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said, an admission that comes after a series of conflicting statements from Pakistani leadership. Malik said nine persons have been named in an FIR registered on Thursday in connection with the Mumbai attacks and six persons have been arrested.

u00a0Malik, who met Pal earlier in the day, said that some of those involved in Mumbai attacks were LeT operatives and the arrests were based on the preliminary investigations.

"Actual investigation will start now as probe starts only after filing of FIR," he said. Hamad Ameen Sadiq, who facilitated money transfer for the attacks, has been arrested along with another Pakistani national Javed Iqbal, who acquired the VoIP connections from Spain, Malik told a press conference.

On Ajmal Amir Qasab, Malik said his statement has to be recorded in Pakistani court, suggesting that Islamabad would like to seek the custody of 22-year-old Qasab, the lone surviving attacker nabbed during Mumbai attacks.

Malik said the investigators had traced the shop from where the engine for the boat used by the attackers was purchased and arrested the owner of the shop.

Cases have been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act against nine persons including Kasab, Malik said. Nine terrorists travelled to India from Karachi and three boats were used by them, he said.

This is in variation from the version of India, which has said that 10 terrorists came from Karachi. Admitting the variation, Malik said it will be clarified with India. Three e-mail accounts and Voice Over Internet Protocol was done from Spain by one Javed Iqbal who was living in Barcelona.

Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, the LeT commander who India says masterminded the attacks, has been located and is under investigation, he said. Another LeT operative Zarar Shah, a communication expert, has also been located.

The money for the attackers was paid in Italy and the amount came from Islamabad. Some SIM cards used by the terrorists were procured from India. "We would like to know how those SIMs were procured? We would also like to know how they were able to travel in a dinghy with weapons and grenades," he said.

Malik also sought more details and clearer pictures of some of the suspects from India. He said India had given an unclear photograph of one Ali from Sialkot. "It is as common a name as John in New York and Sharma in Delhi."

"We have done our best in investigating the attacks. We have gone the extramile in probing the attacks," Malik said.