After a spate of flip-flops, Pakistan today finally admitted that "some part of the conspiracy" behind the Mumbai terror attacks was planned in the country and six persons have been arrested in this connection. Pakistan's response to India's dossier on the November 26 Mumbai strikes was handed over to India's High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal with a list of 30 questions.
Islamabad also sought further information about Mumbai attackers including their finger prints and DNA samples.
"Some part of the conspiracy related to the Mumbai attacks was planned in Pakistan," Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said, an admission that comes after a series of conflicting statements from Pakistani leadership.
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Malik said nine persons have been named in an FIR registered today in connection with the Mumbai attacks and six persons have been arrested.
Malik, who met Pal earlier in the day, said that some of those involved in Mumbai attacks were LeT operatives and the arrests were based on the preliminary investigations.
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Pakistan has been under intense international pressure mobilised by India to crack down on the LeT and its frontal outfit Jamaat-Ud Dawah, which have been blamed for the Mumbai carnage that left 183 people dead.
"Actual investigation will start now as probe starts only after filing of FIR," he said.
Hamad Ameen Sadiq, who facilitated money transfer for the attacks, has been arrested along with another Pakistani national Javed Iqbal, who acquired the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) connections from Spain, Malik told a press conference.
On Ajmal Amir Kasab, Malik said his statement has to be recorded in Pakistani court, suggesting that Islamabad would like to seek the custody of 22-year-old Kasab, the lone surviving attacker nabbed during Mumbai attacks. Malik said the investigators had traced the shop from where the engine for the boat used by the attackers was purchased and arrested the owner of the shop.
Cases have been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act against nine persons including Kasab, Malik said.
Nine terrorists travelled to India from Karachi and three boats were used by them, he said. This is in variation from the version of India, which has said that ten terrorists came from Karachi. Admitting the variation, Malik said it will be clarified with India.
Three e-mail accounts and Voice Over Internet Protocol was done from Spain by one Javed Iqbal who was living in Barcelona. "Don't ask how we got him here. He was lured to Pakistan and arrested," Malik said, adding "we have requested the Spanish government to cooperate".
Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, the LeT commander who India says masterminded the attacks, has been located and is under investigation, he said. Another LeT operative Zarar Shah, a communication expert, has also been located.
The money for the attackers was paid in Italy and the amount came from Islamabad.
Some SIM cards used by the terrorists were procured from India. "We would like to know how those SIMs were procured? We would also like to know how they were able to travel in a dinghy with weapons and grenades," he said.
Malik also sought more details and clearer pictures of some of the suspects from India. He said India had given an unclear photograph of one Ali from Sialkot. "It is as common a name as John in New York and Sharma in Delhi."
"We have asked them to reply to 30 questions. We need answers to those queries to strengthen the prosecution.
"We have done our best in investigating the attacks. We have gone the extramile in probing the attacks," Malik said.
Sadiq, who hails from Punjab province, was identified as the "main operator" in facilitating and coordinating the Mumbai attacks. Malik identified two other accused only as Khan and Riaz.
Malik did not specify whether Lakhvi was named in the case. He merely said Lakhvi had been detained and was under investigation. Malik said Sadiq had operated two bank accounts from which transactions related to the attacks were made. Information provided by Sadiq led investigators to two militant hideouts -- one in Karachi and another located a short distance from the southern port city.
The suspect identified as Khan purchased the engine that powered the inflatable rubber boat used by the attackers to travel from a trawler to the Mumbai shore and other articles like life jackets. Khan also gave sleuths a phone number that helped them trace Sadiq, Malik said.