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NEW DELHI, May 2 (UPI) -- Osama bin Laden's death "deep inside" Pakistani territory shows that terrorists are being harbored in Pakistan, warned India's Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram. "The United States government informed the government of India that Osama bin Laden had been killed by security forces somewhere deep inside Pakistan," Chidambaram said in a statement to the media in New Delhi.
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"We take note with grave concern that part of the statement in which (U.S.) President (Barack) Obama said that the firefight in which Osama bin Laden was killed took place in Abbottabad in Pakistan. This fact underlines our concern that terrorists belonging to different organizations find sanctuary in Pakistan."
Chidambaram acknowledged the right of U.S. forces to seek at all costs the al-Qaida mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Virginia in which a total of nearly 3,000 people died.
Bin Laden was killed by a team of U.S. operatives early Monday after a battle at a fortified two-story house near Abbottabad -- a main Pakistan military town -- around 30 miles north of Islamabad. One of the four helicopters used in the assault had a mechanical problem during the operation and had to be destroyed before being abandoned during the operation that took place around 1 a.m.
No causalities were reported among U.S. troops who said they took possession of bin Laden's body, which was reportedly buried at sea.
A son of bin Laden was also reported killed, as well as several other people, including a woman.
Chidambaram said he remains convinced that those responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, referred to as 26/11 within India, are hiding in Pakistan.
Mumbai, formerly called Bombay and India's largest city, was the scene of at least 10 coordinated shooting and bombing that killed 164 people and wounded more than 300 over two days. During the attacks, firefighters rescued 200 hostages from windows of the up-market tourist hotel the Taj Mahal Palace.
"We believe that the perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attack, including the controllers and handlers of the terrorists who actually carried out the attack, continue to be sheltered in Pakistan," Chidambaram said.
"We once again call upon the government of Pakistan to arrest the persons whose names have been handed over to the Interior Minister of Pakistan as well as provide voice samples of certain persons who are suspected to be among the controllers and handlers of the terrorists."
Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna said the death of bin Laden was a "historic development and victorious milestone" but his death isn't the end of terrorism.
"Over the years, thousands of innocent lives of men, women and children have been tragically lost at the hands of terrorist groups," Krishna said.
"The world must not let down its united effort to overcome terrorism and eliminate the safe havens and sanctuaries that have been provided to terrorists in our own neighborhood. The struggle must continue unabated."
Obama said in a televised address that "justice has been done" and that cooperation with Pakistan allowed the U.S. initiative to take place.
"Over the years, I've repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was," Obama said.
"That is what we've done. But it's important to note that our counter-terrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.
"Tonight, I called (Pakistani) President (Asif Ali) Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al-Qaida and its affiliates."
