US offers to send security officials to assist terror probe

NEW DELHI: The US on Saturday offered all kind of assistance, including sending team of security officials, in the probe into the Mumbai attacks in which six Americans were among those killed.
    
US Ambassador David C Mulford, who returned from the US early morning, conveyed this to Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon during a 30-minute meeting here.
    
"President (George W.) Bush has directed us to offer cooperation to Indian authorities in any way that we can. We would be doing that," Mulford said.
    
In a telephonic conversation with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had offered assistance to India in investigation into the Mumbai terror attack, which was "duly refused".
    
Mulford said the United States is very skilled in handling anti-terror investigation.
    
"A majority of the victims were Indians but for the first time we have seen targeting Westerners, including Americans," he said, adding that until now six Americans have been killed.    

"The US is duty-bound to cooperate, provide assistance and become engaged in the investigative process," the envoy said underscoring that the US attached great importance to these events.
    
"Our security people will cooperate in any way they can, including coming to India to offer assistance," Mulford said.
    
He conveyed condolences from Bush and President-elect Barack Obama for this "terrible terrorist attack".
    
"We are deeply sympathetic. Our sympathies go out to the families of the victims," he said.