India questions Pakistan's militant crackdown

[David]

AP


NEW DELHI – India's defense minister dismissed Pakistan's efforts to crack down on militants in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, saying Friday that dozens of terrorist groups remain active in the country.

"I do not think there is any noticeable change in the attitude of Pakistan," A.K. Antony told reporters. "Statements are not important. Actions are important. They have to prove by their action."

His comments came after Pakistan arrested at least two men accused by India of planning the attacks on India's financial capital and launched a nationwide crackdown on a charity believed to be a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant group which India has blamed for the three-day siege that killed 164 people and revealed deep flaws in the country's security services.

A Lashkar spokesman sent a statement to journalists in Kashmir on Friday denying reports that Zarar Shah, one of the Lashkar militants arrested in Pakistan, confessed involvement in the attacks.

"No evidence could be found on the scene of the crime, and now there is an effort to manufacture evidence thousands of miles away in Islamabad," the statement said.

It was impossible to confirm the statement's authenticity, but the group's spokesman, Abdullah Ghaznavi, is in regular contact with journalists in Kashmir.

In his comments, Antony called on Pakistani authorities to do more, saying, "More than 30 terrorist outfits are still operating in Pakistan."

A Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman said the government was formulating a response to the remarks. Other officials able to comment were not immediately available.

Tensions have become exceedingly fragile between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals since the attacks. Both sides have made comments that alternately hint at — then back away from — the possibility of conflict.

India has not ruled out the use of force in its response to the attacks. Pakistan's civilian leaders have said they do not want war, but will retaliate if attacked.

Antony insisted that India had not ordered any out-of-the-ordinary movements of soldiers since the attacks.

Pakistani officials said last week that India had moved troops toward their shared border, following Islamabad's own redeployment of forces toward the frontier. Pakistan also said New Delhi had activated forward air bases.

Indian officials have denied those claims.