Proof shown to me: Jaswant

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, OCT 3. India's External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, today said he had seen the evidence linking Osama bin Laden with the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. The U.S., he told reporters here, had ``shared the evidence with India and me'' and pointed out that in any case the real evidence was the ``evidence we have been living with all these years'' - a reference to India's experience of cross-border terrorism.

His statement came even as some of the U.S. allies, including Pakistan, were reported to be unhappy that Washington had not yet shared the evidence with them while expecting them to support any military action against Afghanistan.

Mr. Singh who arrived here today from Washington had talks with the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, and the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Jack Straw. He said he briefed them about his discussions in Washington and in response to a question he said rather emphatically that India wanted the international community to show an understanding of New Delhi's experience of fighting terrorism. India's fight against terrorism, he said rather acidly, did not start on September 11. ``We have been fighting it for 20 years,'' he said adding that India had shown great restraint in the face of grave provocations

The terrrorst attack on the Assembly building in Srinagar on Monday figured in Mr. Singh's talks with the British leaders. Mr. Straw condemned the attack, calling it an ``outrage'' and said: ``We have to be united in the fight against terrorism.''

He recalled the steps he took when he was Home Secretary to curb terrorism, and said the British Government was now in the process of strengthening the anti-terrorist law.

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Section  : International
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