India: Pakistani Admits Role in Calcutta Attack
VOA News
28 Jan 2002 22:01 UTC
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Indian officials say one of two Pakistani nationals shot by police Monday confessed before dying that he participated in last week's attack on a U.S. cultural center in Calcutta.

Indian Home Secretary Kamal Pande says the two men were shot during a raid on what he called a "terrorist hideout" in the eastern state of Jharkhand. Mr. Pande says police also recovered an AK-47 rifle believed to have been used in the Calcutta attack.

Pakistan has denied any link to the Calcutta attack. But Mr. Pande says he has no doubt that Pakistani nationals and Pakistani-based terrorist groups were involved.

Mr. Pande's comment comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. The nuclear rivals have massed hundreds of thousands of troops along their border following December's attack on the Indian parliament that New Delhi blames on Pakistan-based militant groups.

Islamabad has also denied having any prior knowledge of that attack, which left 13 people dead, including the five gunmen.

India says it will not withdraw from border areas until Pakistan stops Muslim militants from entering India to conduct terrorist attacks.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.

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