The first day of the two-day talks between Ranjan Matahai and Jalil Abbas Jilani, the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan, focused on terrorism. The home ministry, in a detailed note to the MEA, has provided details to prove Pakistan was sheltering key 26/11 handler Abu Jundal. The MHA has also given copies of Jundal’s passport and ID cards provided to him in Pakistan, to the MEA, to strengthen India’s case that Jundal indeed had found a ‘’safe haven’’ in Pakistan after 26/11. Mr Chidambaram also said India knew who had trained Ajmal Aamir Kasab and nine other terrorists who carried out the terror strikes in Mumbai, who briefed them and how the control room from where directions were given had functioned.
Separately, while addressing a press conference, Mr Chidambaram said that Syed Zabiuddin Ansari, alias Abu Jundal, has corraborated what key 26/11 accused Ajmal Kasab had disclosed during interrogation. “After Abu Jundal’s interrogation, it was clear that there were state actors. Dots are increasingly getting joined. Though there were many pseudonyms, it is clear that state actors were there. Pictures are getting clearer and clearer. We have been able to know who were there and where they were,” he said.
Dismissing Pakistan’s claim that no state actors were involved in 26/11, the home minister said no sovereign state could allow terror activities from its soil. “I can’t allow any non-state actor carry out any terror activity in a neighbouring country,” he said. On whether New Delhi would hand over Islamabad any dossier on Jundal during Wednesday’s foreign secretary-level talks, he said no ‘’dossier’’ would be given at this stage but foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai was free to share whatever he has been briefed about. “The foreign secretary has been briefed. If he feels, he can share it with them,” he said.