From The Pakistani Press

1. By Mobarik A Virk ( News of February 13, 2009)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday acknowledged for the first time that theMumbai attacks were partly planned in Pakistan and that it has arrested sixsuspects, including the "main operator".

In its first detailed response to the dossier provided by India, Pakistansaid criminal cases had been registered against nine suspects on charges of"abetting, conspiracy and facilitation" of a terrorist act. However, it saidmore evidence is required from India, including DNA samples of Ajmal Kasab, toestablish his identity.

Addressing a press conference at the interior ministry, Interior AdviserRehman Malik told the media FIR No: 01/009 had been lodged with the SpecialInvestigation Group (SIG) in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) against ninesuspects. The Pakistani investigators have identified Hammad Amin Sadiq as thealleged ‘mastermind’ of the whole conspiracy.

Malik said the cases against nine persons had been registered under theAnti-Terror Act (ATA) and the Cyber Crime Act and they would be tried underthese two sets of laws. He said six of the nine accused named in the FIR havealready been arrested and being interrogated, two have been identified but notarrested so far while investigations are still under way into the possibleinvolvement of the ninth accused.

He identified those taken into custody as Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, aLashkar-e-Taiba (LT) commander who was arrested from Muzaffarabad soon after theIndian government alleged that the LT was behind the Mumbai attacks, Javed Iqbal,who was arrested from Barcelona, Spain, Hammad Amin Sadiq, believed to be themain operator belonging to southern Punjab, Zarar Shah, Mohammad Ashfaq and AbuHamza. The name of the lone surviving terrorist now in the custody of India,Ajmal Kasab, is not included in the FIR.

He also said some of those arrested by the security agencies of Pakistan forpossible involvement in the Mumbai attacks belong to the LT. Malik said JavedIqbal, who was based in Barcelona, Spain, was the person who paid $200 for the‘Internet Domain’ that was also used for communication and planning for theMumbai attacks. "Having ascertained the involvement of Javed Iqbal, we somehowlured him into coming to Pakistan and he was arrested on his arrival," Maliksaid.

He also said the e-mail sent by ‘Deccan Mujahideen’ claimingresponsibility for the Mumbai attacks was believed to be prepared and sent byZarar Shah, who was responsible for communication link in the whole operation.

The adviser disclosed that the money to fund these attacks was transferredfrom Pakistan and was received in Italy. This money transaction was made througha Pakistani bank. He also said after thorough investigations by the Pakistanisecurity and intelligence agencies it was learnt that these alleged terroristsoperated from two bases — one inside Karachi and the other outside but notvery far away from Karachi.

He also disclosed that the people involved in the Mumbai attacks used threeboats for travelling to Mumbai, one named ‘Al-Hussaini’ and the other ‘Al-Ghaus’.For communication, these culprits used ‘Call Phonic’ system and they alsobought Indian cell phone SIMs for communication from inside India.

Malik said the findings have already been shared with the Indian government.The Indian high commissioner in Islamabad was called to the foreign office andthe report was handed over to him officially.

"We also have forwarded a set of 30 questions for which we would needanswers as early as possible to support and further the investigation process onour side. We have asked the Indian government to provide us the DNA samples ofthe lone surviving terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, to ascertain his nationality, as wedon’t have any record of the individual with Nadra (National DatabaseRegistration Authority)."

"At the same time," he said, "we would like to have the statement givenby Ajmal Kasab to the Indian investigators, how this group of terrorists managedto sneak past the Indian security and intelligence agencies guarding theircoastal lines, and how these nine persons managed to travel in a small boat andreach the Indian coast".

He also pointed out that the satellite phone connection that was used forcommunication during the Mumbai attack was registered in the Middle East and notin Pakistan. He also said forensic reports of the arms and ammunition used inthe attack have been sought from the Indian authorities.

The adviser on interior said to make a solid case against all these peoplewho have been arrested or for whose arrest the Pakistani authorities are makingall-out efforts, meaningful cooperation from India would be most important.

Agencies add: Malik said the breakthrough in the investigation had resultedfrom tracing the fishing vessel used by the militants, purchases of equipmentlike life jackets and the engine for the rubber dinghy that militants cameashore in Mumbai.

He said only nine of the 10 gunmen came ashore in the dinghy, and the fishingboat they had used to sail from Karachi had refuelled on the coast of India’sGujarat state. The Pakistani official said one suspect was allegedly involved inthe 2007 bomb attack on the Samjhauta Express in India that killed 68 people asthe train headed for Lahore, and India has been requested for more information.NEWS 13-2-09
 
2.Islamabad hands over Mumbai probe report to New Delhi
By Sajjad Malik/Tahir Niaz (Daily Times of February 13, 2009)

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has formally handed over the details of its investigationinto the Mumbai terror attacks to India, the Foreign Office said on Thursday asAdviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik admitted that the attackswere ‘partially planned’ in Pakistan.

"The Indian high commissioner was ... [on Thursday given] materialpertaining to the Mumbai terror attacks probe by the Federal InvestigationAgency (FIA), by the foreign secretary," said Foreign Office spokesman AbdulBasit.

Arrests: Meanwhile at a press conference, Rehman Malik announced‘breakthrough’ arrests in the Mumbai probe, and admitted that the Mumbaiattacks were partially planned in Pakistan. He said some of the suspects werelinked to Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LT). Rehman said a case was registered on Thursdayunder the Anti-Terrorism Act against eight suspects – including LT’s ZakiurRehman Lakhvi, Hammad Amin and Zarar Shah – on charges of "abetting,directing, conspiring and facilitating a terrorist act". Six of these suspectsare in the custody of intelligence agencies, and all will be tried underPakistani law.

"Some funds for the attacks were transferred from Spain and Italy," hesaid.

Karachi: Rehman said the suspects used three boats, all of which have beenseized, to sail from Karachi to Mumbai between November 26 and 28, 2008.

More information: Rehman, however, said these findings were not final andPakistan needed more information from India. He said the Indian authorities hadbeen asked to answer 30 questions raised by the Pakistani investigators.

Other countries: The adviser said "the system of various other countries"was also used to plan the attacks. Rehman said two more men were being held, andidentified them only as Khan and Riaz. Other leads pointed to Europe and the US,and Malik said Pakistan would ask the FBI for help. DAILY TIMES 13-2-09

3. LT slams Islamabad for Mumbai charges
SRINAGAR: The banned Lashkar-e-Tayyaba angrily condemned Islamabad on Thursdayfor filing a case against some of the group’s top operatives. Pakistan lodgeda first information report against eight suspects, including the presumedmastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. "We strongly condemn the lodging of the FIRagainst LT," Lashkar spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi told AFP over the telephone.The case was brought to ‘win appreciation’ from India and the US and to"implement India’s agenda of suppressing the people’s struggle for freedomin Kashmir", said Ghaznavi. AFP DAILY TIMES 13-2-09

4.Islamabad forex company involved
LAHORE: Interior Adviser Rehman Malik has claimed that a money exchangecompany in Islamabad was involved in transferring money to a suspect of theMumbai attacks in Spain, said a private TV channel. The money was transferredthrough Paracha International Exchange’s Euro 2005 branch in Islamabad toJaved Iqbal in Barcelona. The branch was later found sealed. Representatives ofother branches have denied that such a transaction took place. But one of thetwo owners confirmed the transaction, and blamed his partner for it. daily timesmonitor DAILY TIMES 13-2-09