Indian FM raises issue about terror links

MUMBAI, Nov. 28 (UPI) -- India's foreign minister said Friday preliminary information on the Mumbai terror attacks showed involvement of "some elements" in Pakistan.

Speaking to reporters in western Jodhpur city, Pranab Mukherjee said, "According to preliminary information, some elements in Pakistan are responsible for Mumbai terror attacks," the Press Trust of India reported. Mukherjee also noted Pakistan has said it will not allow its territory to be used to stage terror attacks against India.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who is visiting India, warned in Chandigarh city against jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers, stressing the need for a cautious approach to fighting the common scourge of terrorism, Pakistan's Daily Times reported. He was quoted as saying he has offered a direct contact and a hotline between intelligence chiefs of the two countries to share information.

The state-run Associated Press of Pakistan reported President Asif Ali Zardari called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday to condemn the Mumbai attacks and express his sympathies. He said his government will cooperate with India in apprehending the killers.

Separately, PTI reported Indian security forces had arrested three Pakistani nationals from the Multan area in the Mumbai attacks. Authorities said all three belonged to the suicide squad of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group.

The militants allegedly told their interrogators 12 of them left on a merchant vessel from Karachi and entered Mumbai by sea using other boats, the report said.