26/11: What evidence does Pak need, asks Nikam

Mumbai: Expressing unhappiness over Pakistan's stand that India did not share any evidence on the 26/11 attacks, public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Tuesday wondered what more evidence it wants when the conspiracy was "hatched" in that country by the LeT.

"All the while the Pakistan government says that we have not forwarded any evidence to them (with regard to Mumbai terror attacks). I fail to understand what evidence they want. Conspiracy was hatched in Pakistan and not in India," he said during a panel discussion on 'Globalisation of Terrorism in the run-up to the third anniversary of 26/11'.

"It was decided in Pakistan to attack on a particular day at a particular place. Hence, they (Pakistan) will have to collect the conspiracy material from that country and not from India," he said.

By sending the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab to the gallows, the problems posed by terrorism will not be solved. The person who masterminded the attack should be punished and who is going to prosecute him (in this case) is a million dollar question, he said.

"In his confession, Kasab said that LeT top operative Hafeez Saeed gave him instructions. But Pakistan says it has nothing against Saeed.

"Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik says Kasab should be hanged. What is new in this? After giving due opportunity and legal assistance, Kasab has been sentenced to death," said the prosecutor in the 26/11 terror case.

During the 26/11 attack probe, it became clear that LeT had opened an employment centre and that they openly recruited the young candidates, trained them and sent them for terror mission, Nikam said.

"Kasab had said that a person whom everybody was calling as major general in the camp where he was undergoing terror training had patted his back when he stood first in the firing practice," he pointed out.

"LeT has been supported by certain army personnel there (in Pakistan). They may be acting or retired personnel," he said, adding "Pakistan has limitation to prosecute some people due to certain reasons."

"I have played the CD of telephonic conversation between the handlers and the terrorists here during the 26/11 attacks to establish the entire operation and involvement of certain state actors behind the attacks. The US was also satisfied with our investigation," Nikam said.

"Unless there is uniform extradition process, it is not possible to check terrorism," he suggested.

Talking about the reason for India being a soft target, Nikam said, "In India people of different religions live. Some fundamentalists provoke these people and prompt them to do religions killing in a bid to rule them."