More proof, more denial

India has handed over new evidence to Pakistan on Jamaad-ud-Dawa (JuD) leader Hafiz Saeed’s role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes. The evidence includes admissions by the other accused Abu Jundal and copies of mails that were obtained by the US.

However, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who is in the Capital on a three-day visit beginning Friday, virtually rejected the demand for action against Saeed on the basis of India’s dossiers, saying no hard, substantive evidence was forthcoming.

Indian government sources told Express that during the bilateral meeting Malik had with Shinde on Friday, the new evidence was given to the Pakistani side.

“These include the statements of Abu Jundal, an Indian terror suspect captured in Saudi Arabia after he went there using a Pakistani passport. Jundal had mentioned Saeed and his role in the Mumbai attacks. The evidences included copies of mails that were obtained by the American authorities while investigating Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative David Coleman Headley’s role in the Mumbai attacks,” the sources said.

Jundal was one of the masterminds of the Mumbai attacks who trained the 10 terrorists, who carried out the terror strike, in Hindi and the Mumbai lingo.

But on Saturday, Malik said, “There is a difference between information and evidence. If I am given hard evidence now... if it is substantive... documentary or any material... before I leave for Pakistan, I will order Saeed’s arrest.”