India says all options open to dismantle terror groups
* India examining all available options
* Pakistan says India whipping up tension
By Nigam Prusty
NEW DELHI, Jan 7 (Reuters) - India will keep all options open to dismantle "terror outfits" after the Mumbai attacks in November, the Indian defence minister said on Wednesday.
"Even after 26/11 there is no serious attempt to dismantle the terror outfits and that is the major worry," A.K. Antony told reporters in New Delhi, referring to the coordinated attacks in India's financial hub.
"We will do everything to prevent this. For that we are examining all possible available options." he said. "What option we are examining I can't tell you now."
The latest statement comes as Indian officials show increasing frustration at what they see as Pakistan's unwillingness to fully investigate the attacks.
India blames Pakistan militants for the strikes in November by 10 gunmen that killed 179 people and have revived tension between two nations that have fought three wars since 1947.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stepped up a war of words on Tuesday, saying for the first time the assault "must have had the support of some official agencies in Pakistan".
Pakistan has denied any involvement by state agencies and rejected Singh's accusation, saying India was ratcheting up tension and risked destroying all prospects of a serious and objective investigation.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Wednesday Pakistan had made constructive proposals for cooperation and initiated its own investigation but India was unnecessarily whipping up tension.
"Our own investigations into Mumbai have progressed," Gilani said.
"We are prepared to take this process forward with a view to uncovering full facts thus ensuring that the perpetrators of this heinous crime whosoever they may be are brought to justice."
"India has not only refused to cooperate in the investigations pertaining to Mumbai but has chosen to undertake a media and diplomatic offensive against Pakistan," he said.
"KILL ALL HOSTAGES"
India sent evidence on Monday to Pakistan that it said linked Pakistani militants to the attacks, including data from satellite phones and what it describes as the confession of a surviving attacker. [For full story see ID:nSP425937]
The Hindu newspaper published details from the dossier on Wednesday, including what it said were transcripts of conversations between handlers and the gunmen during the attack.
"Everything is being recorded by the media. Inflict the maximum damage. Keep fighting. Don't be taken alive," one handler, identified as Kafa, told a gunman, the newspaper said.
"Kill all hostages, except the two Muslims. Keep your phone switched on so that we can hear the gunfire," a caller said.
The dossier has also been sent to countries whose citizens were victims of the attacks, such as the United States, as India tried to corner Pakistan diplomatically into bringing the perpetrators to justice.
A similar attack on India's parliament in 2001 nearly sparked another war after a massive build-up of forces on their border.
There has been no such troop build-up this time although Pakistan last month cancelled army leave and said it had moved limited numbers of troops off the Afghan border, where it is battling al Qaeda and Taliban militants, for defensive purposes.
Any movement of Pakistani troops off its western border will alarm the United States and other countries with troops in Afghanistan who are depending on Pakistan to disrupt militant supply networks and infiltration into Afghanistan.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a news conference in Kabul on Wednesday Pakistan did not want war but every Pakistani would fight back if India attacked.
"But we do not want a war, no sane person wants war," Qureshi said.
"The western border is very important ... we want troops in large numbers on the western border and we want to remain engaged on the western border and we will do so," he said. "There is no question of moving away from the western border." (Additional reporting by Robert Birsel in Islamabad and Sayed Salahuddin in Kabul; Editing by Sugita Katyal)
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