Mumbai justice key to region, Cameron says

BANGALORE, India, July 28 (UPI) -- The perpetrators of the 2008 attacks on Mumbai must be brought to justice in order to repair regional relations, the British prime minister said.

British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived Wednesday in Bangalore for his first trip to India as head of state.

Cameron said London was interested in seeing that the Mumbai attackers are held accountable.

"We remain determined that those responsible must be brought to justice," he said.

Gunmen tied to the Pakistani-based Lashkar-e-Toiba staged a 60-hour siege in high-profile targets in Mumbai in November 2008. About 170 people, including 23 foreigners, died and hundreds more were injured.

"We, like you, are determined that groups like the Taliban, the Haqqani network or Lashkar-e-Toiba should not be allowed to launch attacks on Indian and British citizens in India or in Britain," the prime minister said.

P.J. Crowley, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, echoed those sentiments this week when he said bringing Mumbai suspects to justice would be a "very, very constructive and important step."

Cameron said his government was looking forward to a stronger counter-terrorism partnership with New Delhi, saying the new face of terrorism required a new security relationship.

"Our interests are your interests, so let's work together to realize them," he said.