By IANS,
New Delhi : Throwing its weight behind India’s demand that alleged 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed and five other terror suspects in Pakistan be brought to justice, the US Friday said it was “very important” that they be punished for their crimes against “India, US and the world”.
“I think that there are five, probably six suspects, being held at Islamabad. Their punishment is very important for the United States and for India,” US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer told reporters after meeting Home Minister P. Chidambaram at his North Block office.
“Going after Hafiz Saeed is very important in dismantling the infrastructure of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in that region. It is extremely important that these perpetrators be brought to justice and put behind bars, and receive sentences commensurate with their crimes against India, US and the world.”
Home ministry officials said the meeting between Roemer and Chidambaram was being seen as part of the renewed international pressure on Pakistan to arrest Saeed.
The Pakistani government filed two cases against Saeed on Thursday but none of them accuses him of any involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike.
A day earlier, Roemer had echoed the same sentiments during his visit to Mumbai when he said the US was committed to pursuing and defeating the LeT and other terror threats in the region.
“It is time to reflect on the common enemy of the US and India. We share concerns about LeT, Al Qaeda and Taliban and the threat emanating from that part of the world and we are working closer and closer together as two great powers to take on a common enemy and bring blood-thirsty perpetrators of these attacks to justice,” Roemer had said.
During his recent visit to the US last week, Chidambaram pressed India’s case with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and asked Washington to put pressure on Pakistan to conduct the trial of Mumbai terror attack conspirators, including Saeed.
Chidambaram mentioned that Pakistan had made no progress even in respect of the five-six people they had arrested.
Saeed was roaming free despite the evidence provided by New Delhi in six dossiers given to Islamabad, he said.