Act on Mumbai attack leads, US tells Pak

Maintaining that the Mumbai attackers had links "that lead to Pakistani soil," the US has asked Islamabad to pursue leads provided by New Delhi and track down the perpetrators of the deadly terror strikes.

It was "clear that the attackers had links that lead to Pakistani soil," visiting Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told reporters yesterday.

Boucher, whose arrival here coincided with India handing over evidence about the terrorist attacks to Pakistan, said the US wants Islamabad to investigate the information provided by New Delhi, follow available leads and track down perpetrators so that similar attacks do not occur in future.

India and Pakistan both had "pieces of the puzzle" and need to cooperate, Boucher told the news conference at the US embassy here after talks with the country's top leadership.

"The two sides need to exchange information," he said, adding that India and Pakistan need to work together as this alone will ensure that the perpetrators of the attacks are tracked down.

The US had a "direct interest" in the probe as six of its citizens were killed in the Mumbai attacks, he said, adding, "We are interested that those responsible must be found".

The "scene of the crime" is in India and authorities there have made some arrests. At the same time, Pakistan had detained persons involved in the planning and execution of the attacks, he said. Both sides will now have to follow up on the available information, Boucher said.

Asked whether the US believed Pakistan's state institutions, including the ISI, was linked to the strikes, Boucher said: "Let us find out from the evidence (handed over by India) who was involved in these attacks" and "not jump to conclusions".