By NewsGram Staff Writer
The release of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi is a mistake, said US Ambassador to India Richard Verma on Friday. He also said that US has already raised this issue with Pakistan.
Talking about the Pakistan government's decision to release Lakhi, Verma told a news channel, "We have shared our concern about this issue. We have raised it with the Pakistani government and we have been very clear that the perpetrators of those in the attacks of Mumbai have to be brought to justice."
"The release of Lakhvi is a mistake," he said.
On being asked about selling weapons worth billion dollars to Pakistan, he said that the aid is meant to curb terrorism in Pakistan.
"It also provides them the tools to combat this dangerous insurgency. But we also have to communicate our differences when we have them crack down on safe havens. The president (Barack Obama) has been very impelling on that and to crack down on the perpetrators and to hold them accountable will continue to erase them," the Ambassador said.
Lakhvi, along with six other suspects, was in detention since February 2009 over charges of "facilitating" the Mumbai attack before he was released by Pakistani court.
The six other men facing trial in Adiala Jail for their alleged involvement in the 26/11 terror attack are: Hammad Amin Sadiq, Shahid Jamil Riaz, Younas Anjum, Jamil Ahmed, Mazhar Iqbal and Abdul Majid.
Lakhvi is the operational head of the banned Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) that has been carrying out militant activities in India.