14 
news without borders
Rice: Pakistan vows to hunt Mumbai
attack plotters
ISLAMABAD: US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice
(pix) said yesterday Pakistan
had given assurances of
its commitment to root out
terrorism and round up anyone
connected to last week’s attack
in the Indian city of Mumbai.
Rice, on a trip aimed at
curbing tension between
nuclear-armed India and
Pakistan, said the Mumbai
attack showed a level of
sophistication unseen in the
region and urgent action was
needed to get the perpetrators
and prevent more attacks.
But she played down fear of
a military response by India,
saying the global struggle
against terrorism needed
cooperation.
India and US officials have
blamed groups based on
Pakistani territory for the attack,
but no accusations have been
levelled at the Pakistani state or
its agencies.
Pakistan has condemned the
assault, denied any involvement
theSun
by state agencies and vowed to
help the Indian investigation,
but it wants proof of Pakistani
involvement.
In a delicate balancing
act, Rice met Indian leaders
on Wednesday in New Delhi,
where she called for restraint.
Rice said she had reasonable
and responsible discussions in
both capitals.
The assault on India’s
commercial capital killed 171
people, including six Americans.
“This was a terrible attack. It
was a sophisticed attack, a level
of sophistication that we haven’t
seen here on the subcontinent
before,” Rice told a news
conference at a military airfield
before departing.
“That means that there is
urgency to getting to the bottom
of it. There is urgency to bringing
the perpetrators to justice and
there is urgency to ... disrupt and
prevent further attacks.”
Her talks in Islamabad
included the importance of
Pakistan dealing with anyone
who may use its territory for
attacks, even if they were “non-
state actors”, she said, adding
everyone wanted to prevent
briefs
Moderate quake
shakes Japan
TOKYO: A moderate 6.1-magnitude
earthquake shook northern Japan
yesterday but there was no risk of
a tsunami, the Japan Meteorologi-
cal Agency said, and no immediate
reports of damage. The tremor struck
at 8.17am (7.17am in Malaysia), with
the epicentre in the Pacific off Miyagi
prefecture, 350km from Tokyo, the
agency said. It was 10km below
sea level. Japan is hit by 20% of the
world’s powerful earthquakes. – AFP
Newspaper steals
Empire State
NEW YORK: City crime is one
thing, but a New York tabloid
upped the ante on Wednesday
– stealing the entire Empire State
Building.
The Daily News claimed it
had pocketed the 102-storey Art
Deco icon by filing fraudulent
documents with the city register
to expose New York’s dangerously
lax system for recording property.
According to the News, the
“heist” took just 90 minutes.
Then they returned the building
to its real owners, Empire State
Land Associates. The phoney
documents were made even
more laughable by appearing in
the names of legendary bank
robber Willie Sutton and original
King Kong movie star Fay Wray.
“The massive ripoff illustrates
a gaping loophole in the city’s
system for recording deeds,
mortgages and other transac-
tions,” the News said. – AFP
Anarchists target
AFP offices in Athens
ATHENS: A group of self-styled an-
archists fire-bombed the offices of
Agence France Presse (AFP) in cen-
tral Athens on Wednesday, causing
damage but no injuries, local media
reports said.
Unknown individuals fire-bombed
the entrance of the office in the
| FRIDAY DECEMBER 5 2008
more attacks.
“Pakistan, the Pakistani
leadership, understands the
importance of doing that,
particularly in rooting out
terrorism and rounding up
whoever perpetrated this
attack,” she said.
President Asif Ali Zardari,
who had been trying to push
forward a peace process with
India, told Rice he had asked
India to see this as a chance
towork together rather than be
at odds, saying: “I intend to do
everything in my power.”
“The government will not
only assist in investigations
but also take strong action
against any Pakistani elements
found involved in the attack,”
a statement quoted Zardari as
saying.
“Pakistan is determined to
ensure that its territory is not
used for any act of terrorism.”
The prime suspect for the
Mumbai slaughter is Lashkar-
e-Taiba, a jihadi group fighting
Indian rule in disputed Kashmir
that also has Al Qaeda links, and
which analysts say has had ties
with Pakistani intelligence in the
past. – Reuters
central Athens district of Kolonaki,
causing a small fire to break out.
Two employees were in the offices
at the time and tried to put the fire
out until fire firefighters arrived at
the scene.
Groups of anarchists frequently
carry out arson attacks in the Greek
capital and in the northern port city
of Thessaloniki against government
offices, large businesses and embas-
sies. – dpa
Canada PM seeks to
suspend Parliament
OTTAWA: Canadian Prime Minister
Stephen Harper yesterday took
the unprecedented step of seek-
ing the suspension of Parliament
so he can avoid being ousted by
the opposition next week.
Harper’s extreme gambit is
the latest development in a con-
stitutional crisis that erupted last
week after he tried to cut public
financing for political parties, a
move that would have hit the op-
position parties particularly hard.
Harper’s Conservatives won a
strengthened minority in an Oct 14
election but now face a confidence
vote in Parliament on Monday they
are likely to lose. The Liberals and
New Democrats have signed a deal
to form a coalition government.
Harper went to see Governor
General Michaelle Jean yesterday
and a spokesman for the premier
said he would ask her to suspend
Parliament. Any suspension would
most likely last until a federal
budget set for Jan 27. – Reuters
O.J. Simpson to be
sentenced today
LAS VEGAS: Former American
football legend O.J. Simpson could
be handed a tough jail term today
when he goes back to court for
sentencing after being convicted
of armed robbery and kidnapping.
Prosecutors have recommend-
ed 18-year sentences each for
Simpson, 61, and his co-accused
Clarence Stewart, 54, found guilty
in October of 12 charges relating
to an armed robbery of sports
memorabilia at a Las Vegas hotel.
– AFP