Pakistan should do more to stop terror activities, says Clinton.
Pakistan should ensure that terrorists do not use its territory as a launching pad for terror attacks, Hillary Clinton said in Delhi on Tuesday.
Addressing a joint press conference with external affairs minister SM Krishna, the US secretary of state described Hafiz Saeed, founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, as the “principal architect” of the Mumbai terror attack. The US wanted to send out an "unmistakable message of solidarity with India" by announcing a $10 million bounty on Saeed's head, Clinton said.
She spoke on Saeed when she was asked if the US was indulging in doublespeak. Last month, Cameroon Munter, the US envoy to Islamabad, had said there was no exclusive US bounty on Saeed. “Our offer demonstrates our seriousness in obtaining additional information which can withstand judicial scrutiny and which will lead to the arrest and conviction of the 26/11 masterminds.
"We have used it [bounty under the US Rewards for Justice programme] in Pakistan, we have used it around the world… We wanted to raise the visibility and make it very clear that the US had reason to believe that Hafiz Saeed was one of the principal architects of 26/11," Clinton said.
She said the US expected Pakistan "to do more" to stop terror activities. Asserting that the US would do everything to prevent terrorists from carrying out attacks, Clinton said, "We are committed to go after those who pose a direct threat to the US, to Afghanistan, and to its allies, including India."
At the meeting, both Krishna and Clinton spoke about Afghanistan. India, a source said, has stressed on the need for sustained international commitment to build Afghan capacity for governance, security and economic development.
The US secretary of state said she strongly appreciated India's support to Afghanistan and its attempt to build a more peaceful and prosperous future for the Afghan people. Even after NATO combat units withdraw from Afghanistan by 2014, the West will continue with the security and development programme there and the "details are being worked out".
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