Rice goes to India in wake of Mumbai siege

LONDON, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will go to India to discuss the siege in Mumbai after she attends a NATO meeting in London, the White House said.

"Secretary Rice's visit to India is a further demonstration of the United States' commitment to stand in solidarity with the people of India as we all work together to hold these extremists accountable," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement.

Besides expressing sympathy and solidarity with the Indian people in the wake of the 50-plus-hour siege in Mumbai, Rice said she was directed "to express our absolute determination to help in any way that we can to help end this terrorist threat and to bring those who perpetrated this horrible crime to justice."

The attacks killed about 180 people, including 22 foreigners. Rice said reports she had indicated six of the fatalities were Americans. While Indian security forces killed most of the gunmen, Indian authorities were reported as saying one attacker was captured alive allegedly admitted he is from Pakistan and was trained a Pakistani terror group with al-Qaida links.

Rice said she and others in the State Department have spoken with Pakistani officials, "emphasizing to the Pakistani government is the need to follow the evidence wherever it leads, and to do that in the most committed and firmest possible way."