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US has shared credible information with Pak on Lakhvi:official

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Press Trust of India Washington
The US has shared "credible evidence" with Pakistan on LeT operations commander Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi's involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attack, a senior official has said, days after America reminded Pakistan of its commitment to bring 26/11 perpetrators to justice.

"The US has provided credible evidence (on Lakhvi) to Pakistan," a senior US official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The official, however, did not give any details on the issue, saying this is an ongoing legal matter.

The information provided by the US to Pakistan on Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operations commander Lakhvi and others related to the Mumbai terrorist attack is credible, the official said.
 

The detailed information shared by the US on individuals related to the Mumbai terrorist attack is based on the interrogation of David Headley, who is currently serving a jail sentence for his involvement in the attack.

Various security agencies and intelligence wings of the United States have done their own investigation with regard to the Mumbai terrorist attack.

"To date, the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have provided extensive assistance in the investigation of the Mumbai attacks, including substantial evidentiary assistance," a US Government official said.

"As President Obama has stated, the Mumbai perpetrators, financers, and sponsors must be held accountable for their crimes, and we have called on all governments to do just that," the official said.

The information comes a week after the US said there is a strong counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan and urged Islamabad to follow through on its commitment on bringing to justice the 26/11 perpetrators.

"The Government of Pakistan has pledged its cooperation in bringing the perpetrators, financiers and sponsors of the Mumbai terrorist attacks to justice, and we urge Pakistan to follow through on that commitment," State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki had said.

Lakhvi, the 55-year-old Mumbai attack mastermind, is currently in detention in Pakistan under a public security order. Lakhvi was detained last week before he could be released from jail following a court directive to set him free which had evoked a strong protest from India.

Lakhvi and six others have been charged with planning and executing the Mumbai attacks in November, 2008, that left 166 people, including six Americans, dead. The trial has been underway in Pakistan since 2009.

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First Published: Mar 17 2015 | 6:57 PM IST

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