Brown blames Pakistan group for Mumbai attacks

Sunday, 14 December 2008 12:00 AM

Gordon Brown has claimed the banned militant group, Laskhar e Taiba (LeT), was behind last month's terrorist attacks in Mumbai which left at least 170 people dead.

The prime minister met with Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh today following his surprise visit to Afghanistan on Saturday.

Mr Brown expressed his condolences over the attacks and has pledged to give India "every help" in order to deal with the problem of terrorism.

Speaking to reporters in India, he said: "We know that the group responsible is LeT and they have a great deal to answer for."

The prime minister is also set to meet Pakistan's prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani later today and has promised to communicate India's concerns to the Pakistani leadership.

Previously, US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice made a quick visit to the two countries to defuse tensions between the neighbours in the wake of the attacks.

Pakistan has launched a crackdown against militants in the past few weeks arresting two leaders of the LeT and putting another cleric, Hafiz Saeed, who is suspected of operating a front for the group, under house arrest.

Nine of the ten gunmen involved in the attacks on Mumbai were killed in operations and the sole remaining gunman, Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, is being interrogated by Indian police.

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