Voice samples of 26/11 accused to figure in India-Pakistan talks

NEW DELHI - India will make a strong pitch for the voice samples of the Mumbai terror attack accused in custody in Pakistan during the upcoming foreign secretary-level talks Feb 25, highly-placed sources said Thursday.

“The voice samples are crucial to 26/11 investigations as they will help ascertain if those in custody in Pakistan are the ones who were guiding the Mumbai assault team during the attacks,” said a top security official.

There are strong indications that one of the people guiding the 26/11 attackers including Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive, was an Indian.

India has repeatedly asked Pakistan for voice prints of Laskhar-e-Taiba founding member Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhwi, his deputy Mazhar Iqbal alias Abu al-Qama and Abdul Wajid alias Zarar Shah, who face charges in Pakistan for the 26/11 attacks.

But this request has not been accepted.

Recently, Home Minister P. Chidamabarm hinted that the 10 Pakistani terrorists who attacked Mumbai could have been guided by an Indian handler and whose true identity is yet to be ascertained.

“When we say he could be an Indian, he could be somebody who acquired Indian characteristics. He could have been infiltrated into India and lived here long enough to acquire an Indian accent, familiarity with Hindi words or could be somebody who went to Pakistan and was adopted by the militants there,” Chidambaram had said.

“We know him as Abu Jindal for many many months now… but he is not Abu Jindal. That is not his real name. We cannot put a finger who he is, unless we get a voice sample. And they (Pakistan) won’t give us one.”