Thaindian News

Gurgaon, July 19 (IANS) Warning of the threat of a global terrorist syndicate comprising Al Qaeda and the Taliban, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Sunday hoped Pakistan will take action against the 26/11 Mumbai attackers as she noted Islamabad’s “evolving commitment” to fight terrorism.
“We expect every nation to take action against terrorism. And we are watching and hoping that it will occur,” Clinton said when asked if she expected Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage.

Those who perpetrated the “horrific” attacks will meet their “day of reckoning”, said Clinton, who arrived in the Indian capital from Mumbai Sunday afternoon.

Clinton was responding to questions from the audience after making a speech at a conference on climate change at the ITC Green Building in this satellite town of Delhi.

She pointed to the threat of a global network of Al Qaeda, Taliban and assorted militant outfits and underlined the growing coordination between democracies like India and the US to share information to combat terrorism.

Clinton also noted that there was a change in Pakistan’s attitude to terrorism. “We have seen an evolving commitment not only by the Pakistani government but also by the Pakistani people and a recognition that terrorism within the country is a threat to that country,” she said.

“Over the last six months, in course of working with the government of Pakistan, we believe that there is a commitment to clear terrorism by the entire government and that is what our expectation is. We are watching it and hope (Pakistan) will make full cooperation against what is a syndicate of terrorism,” she said.

“Al Qaeda, Taliban and other terrorist organisation are connected in a way that is troubling deeply the US, India and is now troubling the entire world,” Clinton stressed.

“We have suffered attacks, we have sent young men and women to fight against the terrorists and we expect every country to stand against the scourge of terrorism,” she said while alluding to the 9/11 attacks in the US.

“This is not specific to one country but the expectations we have for every country, that the networking of the terrorist across the globe is a threat to all… particularly in democracies like India and the United Sates and others that are targeted for the only reason that we are living free and independent lives,” she said.

“We are increasingly coordinating with our counterparts in India about sharing information in a way that each gets sufficient information,” Clinton said.

“It’s not one country’s responsibility, but everybody’s responsibility. Terrorism is a threat we think about every day. Terrorism anywhere is a threat to everywhere,” she stressed.

In Mumbai Saturday, Clinton demanded justice for the 26/11 victims and stayed at the landmark Taj hotel that was attacked by the terrorists, saying she wished to send a message of solidarity and a rebuke to terrorists who could not destroy the spirit of the people of Mumbai.