NEWS

Want Pak to fully cooperate in NY bomb case: US

Source:PTI
May 06, 2010

The United States said it expected full cooperation from Pakistan in its investigations related to the Times Square bomb case, in which prime suspect Faisal Shahzad has told federal authorities that he received bomb-making training in Waziristan.

"Clearly, there are international implications to what occurred in Times Square. We are investigation those. We would expect Pakistan will help us with that," Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley said at his daily news conference on Thursday.

Anne Patterson, the US ambassador to Pakistan, met Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad and spoke to Interior Minister Rehman Malik on the issues related to the investigations of the Times Square bomb case, he said.

"Richard Holbrooke this morning also had a conversation with Foreign Minister Qureshi. You know, the Pakistanis are fully cooperating in the investigation. They recognise, as we do, that this is a shared responsibility and a shared threat to both of us," Crowley said.

Holbrooke also met Pakistan's Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani here.

"Rest assured that Pakistan understands that this investigation is important to the United States. It is important to Pakistan. We will expect full cooperation. There has been a pledge of full cooperation. And now, as we go forward, I think, based on those strong political commitments, we are confident that we can work through those issues together," he said.

The state department spokesman said Pakistan has pledged full cooperation in the investigation.

"Pakistan is taking its own steps and we expect will do more as more information is yielded through this investigation," Crowley said.

"Whatever leads are generated, you know, here in the United States, you know, we would fully expect Pakistan to follow up on. Pakistan, as you're seeing, has already taken its own steps," he said in response to a question.

Pakistan has itself faced significant threat from terrorists, the official said.

"Probably in the last year there have been more Pakistanis killed by terrorism than in any other country. We have long recognised that -- it's a shared threat. It's a shared responsibility. There's a commitment on both sides to fully cooperate as this investigation unfolds," he said.

Crowley said the law enforcement have made contacts with family members of Faisal Shahzad and are questioning them and are already taking their own steps to do their part of this investigation.

Responding to a question, the official said the links between the Inter-Services Intelligence and terrorists have always been a topic of discussion with Pakistan.

"This has been a topic of conversation between the US and Pakistan for several years. Obviously Pakistan, in the last couple of years, has recognised that elements in the past that it has supported and potential links between terrorist networks or terrorist organisations now threatens not only regional security but Pakistan itself," he added.
Source: PTI
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