Pakistan: British Cannot Question Mumbai Suspects

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan will not let British investigators question suspects detained in Pakistan over the Mumbai terrorist attacks, the prime minister said Monday.

British premier Gordon Brown asked for access to the suspects during a visit to Islamabad on Sunday. But his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani said Monday he turned him down.

Gilani said in parliament that he also told Brown that "if there were any proofs, these persons will be prosecuted under the law of Pakistan," Gilani's office said.

India has blamed a Pakistan-based militant group called Lashkar-e-Taiba for last month's attacks in Mumbai, which killed more than 160 people, including three British citizens.

Pakistan has pledged full cooperation with the investigation, arrested at least two key suspects and clamped down on an Islamic charity after the U.N. declared it a front for terrorism.

Brown said cooperation among investigators was vital to defeat transnational terrorism and said three-quarters of the most serious terrorist plots investigated in Britain had links to al-Qaida in Pakistan.

Brown also has asked India to let British police question the only gunman captured alive during the Mumbai attacks. India has made no public response.

The attacks heightened tension between India and Pakistan, nuclear-armed neighbors who have already fought three wars, and added to the strain on the pro-Western government in Islamabad.

Islamist parties and nationalist commentators have criticized the government for moving against the charity, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, under U.S. and Indian pressure.

Gilani told lawmakers on Monday that the charity's extensive welfare activities, which includes running schools and clinics, would continue under government oversight and different names.

He said Pakistan had tried hard to lower the tension, but reiterated it was ready for war "if it is thrust on us."

Comments

[Strategy]

We create them, we protect them, we use them as assets against India and west, we "House-arrest" them and We release them.... And we won't let anyone else interrogate them...
No points for guessing who WE are...and who THEY are...

[MarkInEugene]

Ok this is nonsense! Pakistan is playing games and as an impartial English American observer, I must say it's becoming obvious to everyone that Islamabad is not being honest about what happened in Mumbai. All of the Mumbai attackers were from Pakistan, yet Islamabad claims that is not true even though Kasab himself says he was from Punjab and his parents live in Pakistan and all of his fellow terrorists were from Pakistan. Not to mention, LeT signature is all over this massacre. Hafiz Saeed, the leader of LeT wants nothing more than to spread mayhem and violence.

Pakistan cannot handle their own terrorist breeding grounds. Wealthy Saudi charities are funding LeT and Islamabad is allowing Bin Laden, Saeed and many others to preach their subversion, their hatred of Israel and the West, their religious xenophobia and jihadist violent approach to life.

Pakistan needs to come clean about the cancer of terrorism in that country. Pakistani leaders need to align themsleves with International anti-terrorist efforts and really start to do something about this problem for the sake of the good people of Pakistan. I afraid Pakistan is in for terrible days ahead if they continue to lie about the flagrant terrorist training camps and corruption within the Pakistani military that has encouraged terrorist behavior in that country. A day of reckoning is in Pakistan's future. I hope they chose good over evil.

[Usman]

Did you build the whole story in your Ma's basement??

[Strategy]

Please enlighten us by telling "The real story".....

[MagisterLudi]

I recall after the Pakistani facilitated att-ack on Indian Parliament, the leader of LeT got 11 month house arr-est.
What was it to happened to the leader of LeT this time? He is "detained." Gee, don't want to hurt his feelings by arresting the guy. Maybe they'll give him community service.
It's time for India to issue an ultimatum. Not in public of course, the matter of "face" is important in these parts. US and Europe MUST support India-- this has gone too far.