No evidence Mumbai attacks were planned in Austria: ministry

Austria's foreign ministry said it had no evidence that the Mumbai attacks which killed 165 people in November, may have been planned in Austria, as reported in the media.

Austria's foreign ministry said on Wednesday it had no evidence that the Mumbai attacks which killed 165 people in November, may have been planned in Austria, as reported in the media.

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"We have nothing that would justify our launching an investigation," ministry spokesman Rudolf Gollia told AFP.

"We have not been informed (of these claims) by either Pakistan or India and moreover, we have not received any requests for an investigation," he added.

An Austrian newspaper picked up Indian media reports on Wednesday according to which Pakistan's investigation into the attacks had found that they were planned in Austria and Dubai.

The Pakistani daily Dawn reported last week that Islamabad's investigation had uncovered "clear indications that some of the planning for the attacks was done in Dubai and there is also an element of local Indian support," but said nothing of Austria's involvement.

Meanwhile, Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram, cited by Pakistan's Daily Times online on Wednesday, said Islamabad's investigation was just a "whitewash job" and that New Delhi had evidence the attacks were planned entirely in Pakistan.

An Austrian link to the Mumbai attacks was already mentioned in early December following reports that the militants had used a remote Austrian telephone number to communicate.

Ten gunmen killed 165 people during a 60-hour siege in India's financial capital on November 26-29.