Thaindian News

Mumbai, Dec 7 (IANS) French President Nicolas Sarkozy Tuesday said terror groups from the neighbourhood cannot be allowed to threaten India and it was unacceptable that Taliban and Al Qaida should find refuge in Pakistan.

“The Mumbai attack proved one more time that terrorism is nothing but criminal activity. It pretends to act for political or religious objectives, but it is just savagery. It pretends to serve ideals but it injures them through its acts.” Sakozy said at a commemorative event for victims of the 26/11 attack at the Oberoi-Trident Hotel here.

“For us all who are explicitly threatened by the Al Qaida and its accomplices, it is not enough to protect ourselves from such attacks. We must find a way to prevent them from repeating themselves.

“It is not acceptable that terrorist groups operating from neighbouring territories are able to threaten the security of India,” Sarkozy said in his speech in French.

Terrorists from Pakistan sneaked into Mumbai in November 2008 and went on a killing spree, leaving at least 166 people dead. Many of them were foreigners. The Oberoi-Trident hotel was also attacked.

The president, whose four-day visit to India ends Wednesday, also spoke about the situation in the Afghan-Pakistan region.

“It is not acceptable for Afghanistan and our troops in Afghanistan that Taliban and Al Qaida should find refuge in the frontier ones of Pakistan.”

His wife Carla Bruni, dressed in a white outfit, stood by his side. Sarkozy is in Mumbai on the last leg of his India visit.