Mumbai gunmen 'stateless': Zardari
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'Stateless' gunmen: A policeman patrols the site of the attack on Mumbai's main train station (Getty Images: Uriel Sinai)
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has strongly denied his country was involved in the Mumbai attacks, saying the gunmen were "stateless actors" seeking to hold the world hostage.
"I think these are stateless actors who have been operating throughout the region. The gunmen, whoever they are, they are all stateless actors who are holding hostage the whole world," he told CNN's Larry King.
"The state of Pakistan is no way responsible," the Pakistani leader said, in an excerpt of the interview, when asked about the attacks by 10 gunmen which left 188 people dead and more than 300 injured.
"The state of Pakistan is, of course, not involved. We are part of the victims."
Pakistan offered to work hand-in-hand with India to track down those behind the attacks, but did not respond to a demand to hand over 20 suspects to Delhi.
Mr Zardari added that he doubted Indian claims that the sole surviving gunman, who was captured by Indian security forces during the 60-hour siege of the city, was a Pakistani.
"We have not been given any tangible proof to say that he is definitely a Pakistani. I very much doubt, Larry, that he's a Pakistani," he said.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani has said his government wants proof of India's allegation that all the attackers were Pakistanis.
CNN and other US networks has reported that the United States had warned India in October that hotels and business centres in Mumbai would be targeted by attackers coming from the sea.
- AFP
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