LeT behind attack, world backs India, says Brown

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown backs New Delhi’s claim that the Pakistan-based militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT), was responsible for the Mumbai attacks. HT reports.

Britain has said Pakistan “had a great deal to answer for” following the terrorist attack in Mumbai. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who was in India on an unscheduled visit, also backed New Delhi’s claim that the Pakistan-based militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT), was responsible for the attacks.

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Brown met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and senior Indian officials over breakfast on Sunday. Following the meeting, Brown said: “We know the group responsible is Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT), and they (Pakistan) have a great deal to answer for.”

“I hope to convey India’s concerns when I meet President Asif Ali Zardari. I am also visiting Islamabad. I will explain the concerns Indian people have,” Brown said before he flew to Pakistan.

The British Prime Minister, whose public statement will add to the international pressure on Islamabad, said: “I have told the Prime Minister that India has support of the whole world. We will work together in tackling terrorism. We will work together to build international support in tackling terrorism. We will work together on issues of security. You will get support of many members of the international community. I wanted to come to India and give my condolences first hand at this terrible outrage in Mumbai that has shocked the world.”

Brown stressed that “the whole world will have to come together to ensure that there are no safe havens for terrorists and no hiding places for those who finance terror attacks”.

Praising the “courage, resilience and determination of the Indian people”, Brown said, “no country should have to suffer tragedies that have afflicted India”.

“It’s important to recognise that wherever there is terrorism it has to be fought. We ourselves in Britain have not only suffered the loss through Mumbai attacks of three British citizens but at the same time we have had to face terrorist attacks ourselves,” the British leader said.

In reply to a question on whether the India-Pakistan tension will impact the West-led offensive against Taliban in Afghanistan, he said: “We see the consequences of terrorism in that country. That’s why we are so determined to fight it.”