Washington:
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari was so scared of a military coup after Osama bin Laden's death that he promised the US to hand over Pak-based 26/11 perpetrators, including those from its intelligence agency, to India.
The promise was made in a secret memo to the then Chairman of the Joint US Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, seeking American help to ward off a possible coup, Mr Zardari was also ready to create a "new security team" favourable to Americans.
"We are prepared to cooperate fully under the new national security team's guidance with the Indian government on bringing all perpetrators of Pakistani origin to account for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, whether outside government or inside any part of the government, including its intelligence agencies. This includes handing over those against whom sufficient evidence exists of guilt to the Indian security services," said the secret memo.
The content and a copy of the memo was posted by The Foreign Policy's blog, The Cable late last night. The Cable claimed that it has verified the authenticity of the memo.
The memo also acknowledges the direct connection between ISI and terrorist organisations.
"The new national security team will eliminate Section S of the ISI charged with maintaining relations to the Taliban, Haqqani network etc. This will dramatically improve relations with Afghanistan," it says.
The memo from Mr Zardari was apparently handed over to Admiral Mullen by Mansoor Ijaz, a Pakistani-American businessman, in May this year in the aftermath of the May 2 killing of bin Laden in a safe house in Abbottabad.
The information about this secret memo was first leaked by Mr Ijaz himself in an op-ed in the Financial Times last month.
The businessman has claimed that this memo was drafted by the Pakistan Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, who has denied these allegations, but has written to Mr Zardari offering to resign over the issue. There is speculation about his recall as Ambassador after the Pakistan government decided to summon him to Islamabad to explain the matter.
Admiral Mullen on Wednesday confirmed the existence of the secret memorandum, days after saying that he did not recollect receiving the document though his spokesperson said, "He never paid any attention to it and took no follow-up action".
The promise was made in a secret memo to the then Chairman of the Joint US Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, seeking American help to ward off a possible coup, Mr Zardari was also ready to create a "new security team" favourable to Americans.
"We are prepared to cooperate fully under the new national security team's guidance with the Indian government on bringing all perpetrators of Pakistani origin to account for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, whether outside government or inside any part of the government, including its intelligence agencies. This includes handing over those against whom sufficient evidence exists of guilt to the Indian security services," said the secret memo.
The content and a copy of the memo was posted by The Foreign Policy's blog, The Cable late last night. The Cable claimed that it has verified the authenticity of the memo.
The memo also acknowledges the direct connection between ISI and terrorist organisations.
"The new national security team will eliminate Section S of the ISI charged with maintaining relations to the Taliban, Haqqani network etc. This will dramatically improve relations with Afghanistan," it says.
The memo from Mr Zardari was apparently handed over to Admiral Mullen by Mansoor Ijaz, a Pakistani-American businessman, in May this year in the aftermath of the May 2 killing of bin Laden in a safe house in Abbottabad.
The information about this secret memo was first leaked by Mr Ijaz himself in an op-ed in the Financial Times last month.
The businessman has claimed that this memo was drafted by the Pakistan Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, who has denied these allegations, but has written to Mr Zardari offering to resign over the issue. There is speculation about his recall as Ambassador after the Pakistan government decided to summon him to Islamabad to explain the matter.
Admiral Mullen on Wednesday confirmed the existence of the secret memorandum, days after saying that he did not recollect receiving the document though his spokesperson said, "He never paid any attention to it and took no follow-up action".
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