We Will Conduct Credible Investigation: Pak

Days after it rubbished the evidence implicating the involvement of ‘elements’ holed up inside its territories in the Mumbai terror attacks, the Pakistani establishment on Tuesday said it has decided to conduct a "credible investigation" to "professionally analyse" the information.

New Delhi had on Monday pinned Islamabad to the wall by summoning Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik and handing over to him “material” proving Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani discussed the regional situation during a meeting on Tuesday and decided "to carry out a credible investigation of the evidence provided by India," said - The News – a leading Pak daily.

They also agreed that Pakistan should extend "complete cooperation to India in the investigations".

Zardari and Gilani however said that anyone found guilty of involvement would be tried in accordance with Pakistani law and “no one will be handed over to India."

Information Minister Sherry Rehman on Tuesday said Pakistan should be provided access to the scene of crime so that it could push forward its own probe into the Mumbai attacks.

India and Pakistan on Tuesday once again traded angry words after India insinuated that Pakistan's official agencies may have been involved in the Mumbai terror strikes.

Hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that some official agencies had backed the attacks, Pakistan issued a strongly worded statement to refute the charges.

Media reports quoted sources as saying that Zardari and Gilani had rejected Singh's comments.

On Monday, India handed over a dossier on its probe into the Mumbai attacks to Pakistan, asking it to take action and calling on the international community to rightly assess the threat posed to the world by Pakistan’s refusal to fulfill its obligations.

Mendhar Militants JeM Operatives: Army

Some six days into a massive exchange of fire between militants and security forces in the Bhati Dhar jungles of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir a senior Army official on Wednesday said that the militants are suspected to be operatives of Pakistan’s notorious terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Refusing to specify the time frame required to ‘take out’ the militants, Brigadier General Staff Brig Gurdeep Singh while speaking to the media in Mendhar said: "The holed up militants, who have been exchanging fire with the security forces for the last one week, seem to be from JeM based on the intercepts that we have got."

Unlike operation 'Sarp Nash' in 2003 during which security forces had come across bunkers built by militants, Brig Singh said in the current operation, there were no such reports of bunkers being set up by the ultras in the forest area.

The militants were using natural caves with rocks around them as hideouts in the region, he said.

Replying to questions on the operation that began on January 1, he said, "it is not possible to specify as of now how long the operation will last."

The officer said the undulating forest terrain in the region and the weather were acting as major constraints for the army in flushing out the militants.

"We are carrying out a deliberate operation to wear out the terrorists and to ensure that the casualties among our own forces are avoided. That's why we are taking time to eliminate the terrorists holed up here," Singh added.

Strongly denying reports that there were 1,500 troops deployed in the operation, the Brigadier said that there were just about 350 men on the ground as of now battling the terrorists.

Left Conclave to Attack Right, Center

Months after hushed whispers of a robust third front started doing the rounds, the three-day meeting of the Central Committee of the CPM, which begins in Kochi on Thursday, is almost certain to present first indications of the poll strategy of the Anti Congress-Anti BJP formation, apart from discussing issues of national and international prominence.

A politburo meeting scheduled to be held prior to the Central Committee is expected to finalise the agenda for the deliberations and preparations for Lok Sabha elections is sure to top the agenda.

Following a debate on the formation of the Congress-led UPA and BJP-led NDA alternative, the CC will approve and seal the party’s regional alliances in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The party will enter into electoral alliance with AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, Janata Dal(Secular) in Karnataka and TDP and TRS in Andhra Pradesh.

Though CPM general secretary Prakash Karat held formal discussions with these parties and finalised strategies, a final confirmation will be given by the Central Committee during this meeting.

The party will seriously debate on the nature of alliance it will enter into with the BSP in Uttar Pradesh and the question on whether that alliance could be extended to other states.

A section of the party is keen to contest elections in UP in sync with the BSP while some leaders are of the opinion that the party should ally with Mayawati after the polls, as a pre-poll alliance may prompt Mayawati to seek seats in lieu in states like Kerala and West Bengal.

Issuing a strong condemnation of the UPA Government’s stand on the Gaza invasion and Israel’s merciless killing of Palestine citizens, the party will seek to mobilise minority support against the Congress-led alliance.

The CPM is also likely to condemn the Muslim League for its hypocritical stand on various minority issues.

The party may launch a campaign to lampoon the Union Government for approaching the US with complaints against Pakistan.

Other prominent issues to be discussed will include the hike in petro prices and the Malegaon blasts.

Mumbai Cops Net Pune Medic for Terror Links

The Mumbai police Crime Branch have arrested, Dr. Anwar Ali Bagwan, a medical practitioner, for alleged links to the ‘Indian Mujahideen’ which hit headlines as investigators probing a spate of serial blasts zeroed in on the indigenous terror outfit. A MCOCA Court in Mumbai has remanded Bagwan to police custody till January 16.

The accused was traced to Hyderabad and called to Mumbai for questioning where he was arrested by the Crime Branch sleuths.

Married and with a son, Bagwan hails from Rahuri in Ahmednagar district and is an alumni of Pune’s prestigious BJ Medical College.

He is alleged to have helped secure two rented flats for IM members in Kondwa area of Pune besides training IM operatives to administer anesthesia.

The two rented flats were situated at Kamaldeep Park and Ashoka Mews, Bagwan is the 21st accused to be arrested by the Mumbai cops in connection with a string og bombings across the country that started in 2005.

Sources quoted in media reports say Bagwan came in contact with Asif Bashiruddin Sheikh, an IM member and a close associate of Riyaz Bhatkal, one of the founders of the IM, a breakaway faction of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Bagwan allegedly underwent training at Bhatkal in Karnataka. The medic is reported to have maintained close links with alleged IM operatives Mohammed Mansoor Asgar Peerbuoy and taught him how to use syringes.

Peerbuoy has since agreed to turn approver in the case.

The IM was planning to carry out some kidnappings to fund terror ops, say sources while adding that the outfit planned to kidnap a jeweller and a builder.

Bagwan’s name first cropped up during the interrogation of Peerbhoy alias Munawwar alias Mannu.

"He was aware of the blasts conspiracy as well as the plan for kidnappings," the sources added.

Chavan Seeks Coastal Security

With terror perpetrators repeatedly targeting its best known city, Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has sought the constitution of a Central Coastal Security Authority. The demand was put forth by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan at the CMs conclave in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Incidentally, the government has already unveiled plans for a thorough revamp of coastal security apparatus and is promising to pull out all the stops to strengthen the Coast Guard after terror perpetrators involved in the 26/11 attack on Mumbai were found to have used the sea-route to reach the city.

"Instead of demarcating the responsibilities between the state police, Navy, Coast Guards on-shore and off-shore for keeping vigil on big-Small boats on the Coast and in the sea, a Central Coastal Security Act should be enacted to handle all under one roof," said Chavan.

In order to strengthen and keep a better vigil on the coastal security, the state has taken a decision to purchase speed-boats at a cost of Rs 49 crores.

"18 boats would be hired on immediate basis," he said.

Chavan elaborated spoke about various measures taken by the state government to thwart terror attacks.

"There is State Intelligence Department (SID), a state nodal agency gathering intelligence for the state headquartered in Mumbai, it has a unit in each district. For Mumbai, it has 12 zonal units and one unit at airport to facilitate collection of information.”

These intelligence units have operational coordination with various Central Agencies, informed Chavan.

India Hands Over Evidence to Pak

With Pakistan repeatedly attempting to deflect diplomatic jabs pushing it into action against ‘terror elements’ inside its territories, New Delhi on Monday pinned Islamabad to the wall by summoning Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik and handing over to him “material” proving Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks.

The move is part of the diplomatic offensive by New Delhi to convince the international community and Islamabad to act against those responsible for plotting the audacious and concerted terror strikes in Mumbai.

All resident heads of missions are to be briefed within the next 24 hours while Indian Ambassadors will carry the effort forward in the countries they are assigned to.

India on Monday also shared the material with the visiting Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister, He Yafei during a meeting he held with Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.

In continuum of India’s resolve to seek concrete action against cross border terror attacks, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is writing to all his counterparts providing them with details of the events in Mumbai and describing the progress made in the investigations.

Home Minister P Chidambaram is scheduled to travel to the US later this week to share evidence on the Mumbai terror srikes to rally support for India’s efforts to build pressure on Pakistan.

“Our goals are clear. We want the perpetrators to be brought to justice,” Menon told journalists.

Responding to queries on the involvement of those in the Pakistani establishment, Menon said: “It is hard to believe that something of this scale that took so long in preparation and of this nature that amounts to a commando attack could occur without anybody, anywhere in the establishment knowing this was happening.”

Soon after Menon handed over dossiers to the Pakistani High Commissioner, Mukherjee said the material was linked to “elements in Pakistan.”

He said India expected Islamabad to “promptly undertake further investigations” and put the results before the world.

“We would also hope that Pakistan will implement its bilateral, multilateral and international obligations to prevent terrorism in any manner from territory under her control,” he added.

The dossiers contain material obtained during the interrogation of Mohammed Ajmal ‘Kasab,’ the Pakistani national arrested for the Mumbai terror attack, details of the terrorists’ communication links with elements in Pakistan, recovered weapons and equipment and data retrieved from recovered GPS and satellite phones.

“What happened in Mumbai was an unpardonable crime. As far as the government of Pakistan is concerned, we ask only that it implement the bilateral commitments that it has made at the highest levels to India, and practise her international obligations. These are clear. It is my hope that the world will unite to achieve the goal of eliminating the threat of such terrorism,” said Mukherjee.

Simultaneously, the US said it would also present evidence of Pakistani involvement in the attacks in order to persuade Islamabad to take the investigation into the attacks “to its conclusion.”

Speaking to journalists, US Ambassador in India David Mulford said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would pursue the evidence gathered in Mumbai before taking the evidence to Pakistan.

“Under our law, if Americans are killed, the US itself has a duty to pursue all avenues to the bottom of it,” he added.

Guns Silence Gaza Peace Calls

Ignoring international calls for an immediate cease fire, Israel on Monday said it would not stop its crippling 10-day assault on Gaza until "peace and tranquility" are achieved in southern Israeli towns in the line of Palestinian rocket fire. Three Israeli soldiers died in a friendly fire incident.

Israeli forces have gained control of several high-rise buildings and attacked mosques in a campaign against Hamas militants that has already resulted in th deaths of 500 Palestinians including women and children.

Arab delegates met with the UN Security Council in New York Monday, urging members to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate end to the Israeli attacks and a permanent cease-fire. At the same time, diplomats and European leaders traveled the region in an effort to stop Israel's expanding ground and air offensive.

In the first serious clash in an urban area, Israeli troops and Hamas militants fought a gunbattle on the outskirts of the crowded Gaza City neighborhood of Shajaiyeh, Israeli defense officials said.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Avi Benayahu told Israeli TV the assault was going according to plan with forces sweeping through Palestinian rocket launching locations near the border.

Later, the Israeli military said three soldiers were killed and 24 others wounded Monday evening by friendly fire. It said an errant Israeli tank shell hit their position outside Gaza City, adding that initial suspicions that a Hamas booby-trap caused the casualties were ruled out.

According to reports coming out of the strip the local Shifa hospital was teeming with civilians.

Since the campaign began on Dec. 27 more than 550 Palestinians have been killed and 2,500 wounded, including 200 civilians. UN humanitarian chief John Holmes told reporters in New York on Monday that UN officials believe at least 500 people have been killed in the fighting and that as many as 25 percent are civilians.

Reports say some 80 Palestinians — some of them suspected Hamas members — and transferred several to Israel for questioning, said military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to release the information.
The US Department says it was pessing for a cease-fire that would include a halt to rocket attacks and an arrangement for reopening crossing points on the border with Israel, said spokesman Sean McCormack. A third element would address the tunnels into Gaza from Egypt through which Hamas has smuggled materials and arms.

President George W. Bush emphasized "Israel's desire to protect itself."

"The situation now taking place in Gaza was caused by Hamas," he said.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who unsuccessfully proposed a two-day truce last week, met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who lost control of Gaza to Hamas in June 2007.

Europe "wants a cease-fire as quickly as possible," Sarkozy said after meeting Abbas, urging Israel to halt the offensive, while blaming Hamas for acting "irresponsibly and unpardonably."

A European Union delegation met with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.

"The EU insists on a cease-fire at the earliest possible moment," said Karel Schwarzenberg, the foreign minister of the Czech Republic, which took over the EU's presidency last week from France. Rocket attacks on Israel also must stop, Schwarzenberg told a news conference with Livni.

As the bruising campaign entered its 10th day Monday, Hamas pummeled southern Israel with more than 30 rockets and promised to wait for Israeli soldiers "in every street and every alleyway."

(Agencies)

CM Conclave: Terror, Response on Agenda

A conclave of Chief Ministers, scheduled to be held in the national capital on Tuesday, will mainly consist of a hold "focussed discussion" on combating terrorism and attempt to evolve a strategy to improve intelligence sharing between states in a well coordinated manner.

Speaking to the media Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta said the idea was to "have a focussed discussion on terrorism and how the states and the Centre can join and share intelligence."

The meeting, to be addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram, assumes significance as it comes in wake of the Mumbai terror strikes and the subsequent efforts initiated by the Centre to add muscle to the country’s response to terror.

Terming intelligence sharing the only preventive mechanism available, Gupta said the day-long meeting would mull over preemptive actions to be taken at the state level and how best the Centre could assist them in terms of money, manpower and weaponry.

Gupta informed that the Centre was prepared to increase the budget for police modernisation in states, he cautioned that the central funds should not be wasted on police housing projects but be used for priority needs like weaponry.

The Home Secretary said tomorrow's exercise will be followed by a meeting of chief ministers of seven states badly affected by the Naxal violence, termed as the single biggest threat to internal security.

Need for increasing police strength, setting up of a specialised police force and the issue of improving coastal security would also be discussed, he said.

The Centre is also expected to urge the states to fill up the over 1.3 lakh vacant police posts across the country apart fro stressing the need for involving the community to fillip the intelligence gathering mechanism.

Taint Mars Omar’s Coronation

Omar Abdullah, dressed in a traditional black sherwani, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir by Governor NN Vohra on Monday, the ceremony at the General Zorawar Singh auditorium at the University of Jammu was attended by a host of dignitaries including Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

At 38, Omar is the youngest ever Chief Minister in the state, a post that has been held by his grand father – Sheikh Abdullah and father – Farooq Abdullah - in the past.

Ten other ministers of the National Conference-Congress-led coalition government were also sworn in.

Senior Congress leader Tara Chand Sharma was sworn in as the deputy chief minister.

The newly constituted Council of Ministers includes five ministers each from NC and Congress. Also inducted in the ministry were three-time MLA and former JKPCC chief Peerzada Mohmmad Sayeed, Taj Mohideen, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Shyam Lal Sharma ~ all from the Congress, along with NC's six-time MLA Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mian Altaf and Surjeet Salathia.

The constitution of the ministry has raised hackles in the Opposition which now plans to corner the newly appointed chief minister over the inclusion of several ‘tainted’ names in his cabinet.

Sources suggest Omar tried to push for a ‘clean’ council of ministers but succumbed to pressure from allies Congress.

The names of at least two Congress leaders sworn in on Monday were implicated in the controversial Srinagar sex scandal, a call girl racket involving ministers, lawmakers, bureaucrats and police officers.

Omar’s coronation, coming after the biggest ever voter turnout in the seven phase polls that started in November, is being as the beginning of a new dawn of hope and optimism in J&K.

Omar was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998 and again for a second term in 1999. He has also had two stints as Union minister of state in the NDA government. He was re-elected as MP for a third time when he won the Srinagar Parliamentary constituency in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls.

Hasina Acquitted in Graft Case

A day before she is scheduled to be sworn in as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, a Dhaka Court acquitted Sheikh Hasina in a graft case instituted against her by the outgoing caretaker government. Hasina’s exoneration came after the petitioner withdrew the complaint.

Hasina is to be sworn in to office on Tuesday.

The businessman who had filed the complaint indicated that he had been pressured and that the “incident was undesired and unexpected for me.”

This is the second such case. Azam Chowdhury, another businessman, had also lodged a complaint of extortion, but insisted that he had not mentioned her name. It was added to the charge sheet later.

Sheikh Hasina had six cases against her, including a murder charge.

Both Sheikh Hasina and her political rival, Begum Khaleda Zia, were charged with corruption and were jailed for several months. They had denied the charges, saying these were “politically motivated”