Origin of Mumbai attack was Pakistan: US

Washington: The US has reiterated that the November 26 Mumbai terrorist attacks originated from Pakistan, but wants New Delhi and Islamabad to work together to bring those responsible to justice and prevent future attacks.

"Well, we've talked about the origins of the attack coming from Pakistani soil. Secretary (of State Condoleeza) Rice, during her visit to the region, said that herself," State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday.

"But I would look at one part of this exchange as encouraging; that is, that there is an exchange of information here between India and Pakistan," he said when asked if the US shared India's conclusion that those responsible for the Mumbai attacks were at least supported by official agencies in Pakistan.

"Now of course, tensions need to be managed, and thus far, it would seem that the two sides have an interest in doing that," McCormack said.

"The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Richard Boucher, who is travelling in the region, I thought put it very well in saying that each side, in terms of putting together the full picture here, has pieces of the puzzle that the other doesn't," he stated.

"And so it's in their interest to work together, to exchange information, to get the full picture, and to be able to act to prevent attacks as well as to bring to justice those responsible for the attacks in Mumbai," McCormack said.

"So in that sense, the common enemy here are the violent extremists. The greatest threat isn't from each other, whether that be India or Pakistan. It's from the violent extremists," he added.

Boucher held talks with the Pakistani leadership in Islamabad on Monday as New Delhi handed over to Islamabad evidence linking the terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks to elements in Pakistan, which the US diplomat described as a positive step.

Boucher told a press conference in Islamabad it was "clear that the attackers had links that lead to Pakistani soil".

He also said Pakistan's crackdown on the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a charity with links to the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), showed the country's "commitment to eliminate sources of terrorism on Pakistani soil".

"There is determination here to follow up and find the groups that are responsible so they never do it again," he said.