India Claims Proof Pakistan was Behind Bombings

After being pressured to back up their accusations that Pakistan was behind the recent bombings in Mumbai, Indian officials have promised to produce their proof. According to sources within the government, the Pakistan spy agency, known as ISI, is directly linked to the bombings that left 186 people dead and over 1,000 wounded.

The foreign secretary of India, Shiv Sankar Menon stated early on Monday, "We will take the issue up with Pakistan in view of new evidence. We will judge them [Pakistan] not by their immediate reaction of verbal statements, but by what they actually do about terrorism." Menon did not elaborate on the actual proof that the Indian government has.

AN Roy, the police commissioner who has been investigating the bombings held a press conference on Saturday, stating, "The whole attack was planned by Pakistan's ISI and carried out by Lashkar-e-Toiba and their operatives in India." Roy also indicated that at least eleven Pakistani operatives were involved in the bombings, as well as people affiliated with smaller groups within Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

India and Pakistan had been in the process of holding peace talks when the bombing occurred, derailing attempts to end a long feud between the two countries. Most recently, troop activities on the border between Pakistan and India have indicated that their relations are reaching an extreme breaking point. Most recently, Pervez Musharaff, the president of Pakistan met with the prime minister of India during the Non-Aligned Nations Summit in Cuba, and both agreed to restart the peace process. Talks have been scheduled for November, but this latest news from India may further delay them.

Pakistan is viewing the latest accusations as nothing more than baseless allegations. Tariq Azim Khan, Pakistan's Minister of Information stated to the press that, "We are still studying the Indian statement. Needless to say, this is once again baseless allegations - yet another attempt by India to malign Pakistan. Both the president and the prime minister condemned this terrorist attack on the train when it happened. But India also must look at home for reasons for this growing insurgency at home."

Both India and Pakistan possess nuclear weapons, and analysts fear that if relations continue to degenerate between the two countries, there could be a real risk for a nuclear confrontation. A recent deal between the US and Pakistan, to supply them with eighteen F-16 fighter jets may add even more fuel to the fire.