US backs South Asian anti-terror taskforce

BANGLADESH: The United States would support a Bangladeshi proposal to create a South Asian regional taskforce to combat terrorism in the troubled region, a top US diplomat said Sunday.

Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said the countries of South Asia need to cooperate more in combating terror in the wake of the “horrible” terrorist attacks in Indian financial capital Mumbai last November. “I do, I do think this a good idea to have and see we can create a South Asian taskforce against terrorism,” Boucher said after concluding a two-day tour to Bangladesh.

“The countries in the region... need to move forward, need to think about how to move forward on this and more, think about how we can support it if it comes to pass,” he said.

Bangladesh’s new government, led by Sheikh Hasina, proposed the idea of a South Asian taskforce to tackle terrorism after several years in which the country has fallen victim to a series of suicide blasts carried out by Islamist groups.

However, the government, which took over early last month, has not yet held talks with other South Asian nations on the proposal.

Boucher said the Mumbai attacks provided countries in the region with an opportunity for cooperation, and praised Pakistan for starting to take “resolute actions” against the terror groups.

“This is the only way all of us can feel safe,” he said.

On Thursday, India directly accused Pakistan’s military intelligence agency of involvement in the Mumbai attacks for the first time, amid reports Islamabad’s own probe will suggest the assault was planned in Bangladesh.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said the perpetrators “planned, trained and launched their attacks from Pakistan, and the organisers were and remain clients and creations of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).”

The November assault on India’s financial capital, when 10 gunmen killed 165 people during a 60-hour siege, has led to a furious blame game that has sharply escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Dhaka, Monday, AFP