16 theSun | FRIDAY DECEMBER 19 2008

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Zardari: No proof of
link to Mumbai attacks
LONDON: Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari
(pix) insisted in an
interview with the BBC
on Wednesday that there
was no firm proof linking
his country to last month’s
attacks on India’s financial
centre, Mumbai.
Speaking to the
British broadcaster from
Islamabad, he said the
investigations into the
attacks were ongoing and
he would “not jump to a
conclusion” on who was
responsible until they were
complete.
New Delhi has fingered
“elements” in Pakistan for
the attacks that left 172
people dead, and British
Prime Minister Gordon
Brown said militants from
Pakistan-based group
Laskhar-e-Taiba were
responsible.
“What we are Pakistan national,
saying is that we the president said:
are willing to “No, we don’t
cooperate – and know that,
you know we haven’t
like anybody investigated
else does, that that, we are
investigation investigating
is an evolving that position.
process, it “There have
hasn’t been been disputed
long enough” positions in the
to come to any press ... I would
conclusions, Zardari say the investigation
said. is ongoing and I would not
He added: “I think we jump to a conclusion.”
will hold our judgement However, he said his
till the proper investigation country was prepared
and conclusive evidence is to act if links to Pakistan
shared between Pakistan emerged.
and India, and we’re hoping “If that stage comes, and
that would happen because when it comes, I assure you
we’ve asked for a joint that our parliament, our
investigation.” democracy, shall take the
Put to him that the action properly deemed in
sole surviving gunman our constitution and in our
has been identified as a law,” he said. – AFP

Bahrain arrests group

suspected of planning attack
MANAMA: Several
members of a group
planning a terrorist attack
in the Gulf state of Bahrain
have been arrested, the state
security authority said in a
statement on Wednesday.
“A group of people were
arrested early Tuesday,” the
statement said.
“They were planning
to detonate locally-made
explosives containing
flammable materials and
large amounts of small
iron balls,” it said, in an
attack timed to coincide
with Bahrain’s national day
celebrations.
The authorities are now
investigating the case, the
statement said without
giving the number of
arrests. “They had planned
to create great damage and
direct injuries.”
The officials had
followed legal procedures
and obtained a permit from
the general prosecution for
the arrests, it said, without
giving any indication of the
identities of those arrested.
Bahrain, which is
linked to Saudi Arabia by
a causeway, has almost
5,000 US residents, mostly
soldiers and their families.
Unlike its big neighbour,
the kingdom has never
been the scene of any major
terrorist attack.
In July, 11 Shiite
opposition activists were
sentenced to jail terms of
between one and seven
years for clashes last
December in the Sunni-
ruled state between police
and protesters.
The clashes followed
the death of a demonstrator
at an opposition rally to
demand compensation for
victims of human rights
violations.
The Shiite majority in
Bahrain, where the US
Fifth Fleet is based, has
been campaigning for
compensation for alleged
human rights violations in
the 1980s and 1990s. – AFP

Nepal sacks, soldiers

over rights abuses
KATHMANDU: Nepal’s army has sacked
or demoted 175 soldiers over allegations
they were involved in human rights abuses
during the country’s civil war.
The purge is the biggest announced by
the army over abuses linked to its decade-
long war with Maoist rebels.
The Maoists now run the country after
signing a peace deal in 2006 and winning
elections earlier this year. – AFP

Top cops to be probed

over Mumbai attacks
MUMBAI: Two senior police officers
are to be investigated for their role in
dealing with the Mumbai attacks, the
state government here said, amid calls
for their removal from office.
Ashok Chavan, Chief Minister of
Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai
is the main city, said state police chief
A.N. Roy and his city police counterpart
Hassan Gafoor would be probed for any
shortcomings in their response.
There was no response from Roy or
Gafoor when contacted. – AFP.