Which Pak armymen spoke to Ajmal & co?

In a counter to Pakistan seeking more evidence on the November 26 Mumbai terror attacks, India gave a detailed rejoinder to the 30 questions posed by Islamabad to back the evidence already provided to it.

It has also raised half a dozen questions of its own, the most important of which seek details of the conversation some Pakistani army officers allegedly had with the Mumbai terrorists.

Foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon handed over India’s replies to the Pakistani queries and additional evidence to Pakistani high commissioner Shahid Malik.

Among the new questions now raised with Pakistan, New Delhi has sought names and details of the accomplices arrested in Pakistan, copies of their confessional statements and details of their bank accounts. This apart, it has also sought details of satellite call data regarding phone conversations these accomplices and other persons, including some suspected Pakistan army officers, had with the terrorists in Mumbai.

Describing the 401-page reply as “very comprehensive and solid material”, India expressed the hope that Islamabad would now move fast to prosecute those behind the Mumbai carnage.

The dossier has 21 appendices and the actual replies to Pakistan’s questions run into six pages. It has included telephone conversations the 10 terrorists had with their Pakistani handlers.

Sources in the home ministry said that India’s reply completely rejected the Pakistan innuendo that ATS head Hemant Karkare was killed by Hindu fundamentalists led by Col Prasad Purohit, one of the accused in the Malegaon blast case. “It is a figment of Pakistan’s imagination,” the answer to the question read.