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We have strong proof: Advani
By Vinay Kumar
NEW DELHI, DEC. 16. The Vajpayee Government feels that it has sufficient evidence to nail Pakistan-based terrorist outfits - the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad - in the December 13 attack on Parliament House.
Taking a ``very serious view'' of the strike, the Government would further intensify diplomatic initiative in driving home the message to Islamabad that New Delhi would want an effective action against the Lashkar and the Jaish.
``The evidence collected by police while cracking the terrorist strike of December 13 is indeed clinching. Apart from this, on the basis of various other inputs, which we will pass on to the Pakistani establishment, we would expect the Pakistan Government to take action against Lashkar and Jaish and ban their activities,'' the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, said this evening.
Talking to The Hindu, the Home Minister said the Government would consider all aspects on the basis of all the inputs and ``in that context and see what is to be done.'' All the five terrorists killed by the security personnel in the Parliament House compound were Pakistani nationals, Mr. Advani pointed out.
Emphasising that the attack on Parliament could not be considered as yet another incident of terrorism, Mr. Advani said the Government was moving forward in a manner to indicate that it would decide upon ``an appropriate action.''
Asked about his reaction to the Pakistan offer of a joint investigation and action if India gave evidence of involvement of any Pak-based terrorist group or individual, Mr. Advani said: ``We have doubts over their (Pakistan's) intentions. They have the temerity to suggest that the attack was engineered by Indian agencies. It only shows their way of thinking and puts a question mark on their criticism of the attack. If they (Islamabad) are serious in rooting out terrorism, they better show it and it becomes their duty to end all support to terrorism.''
Though the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, had referred to the war against terrorism having entered a decisive stage, Mr. Advani did not spell out the Government's response to the attack. ``The Government will see what is to be done.''
Describing the terror strike as an attack on the country's symbol of democracy, Mr. Advani said that he shuddered to think of the consequences had any one of the heavily armed terrorists entered Parliament House. ``Their design was foiled by the security personnel who made a supreme sacrifice by laying down their lives,'' he said.
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