ISI supports LeT, other terror outfits in Pak: P Chidambaram

Trashing Pakistan's assertion that state actors were not involved in terror acts against India, Union home minister P Chidambaram today said the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and every other militant outfit of that country is supported by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and they have set up modules and sleeper cells in this country.

"If it is the state policy to sponsor terrorism, if the state policy is to export terrorism to India, how will we deal with that state?," he said at the India Today conclave in New Delhi.

The home minister said, "It is no secret that every militant organisation that is based in Pakistan, is supported by ISI. Lashkar, Hizbul Mujahideen, JuD, Al Badr - everyone of them is supported by ISI".

Making it clear that war is not an option, the minister said, "then we must talk, when we can, when we think there can be progress".

He said nothing came out of the foreign secretary-level talks between the two countries here last month. "But I am told we are still open to another round of talks between the foreign secretaries," he said.

Chidambaram, who chose not to make any mention of Pakistan in his opening remarks, voiced New Delhi's concerns over Pakistan-sponsored terrorism during the question and answer session.

He had an unusual exchange of words with Pakistan high commissioner Shahid Malik, who tried to counter the minister's charge that state actors in Pakistan were involved in terror acts in India.