Mumbai
On the 10th anniversary of the heinous 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed 166 people including six Americans the Trump administration reminded Pakistan to bring to book perpetrators of the attack.

Expressing solidarity with families of the victims who lost their lives, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has stressed that attackers of the barbaric attacks need to be punished.
“The barbarity of 26/11 shocked the entire world. It is an affront to the families of the victims that, after 10 years, those who planned the Mumbai attack have still not been convicted for their involvement,” said Pompeo. “We call upon all countries, particularly Pakistan, to uphold their UN Security Council obligations to implement sanctions against the terrorists responsible for this atrocity, including Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and its affiliates.”

Welcoming the US message, the Indian government called it a matter of deep anguish that families across the globe still await a closer in the case.

“The planners of 26/11 still roam the streets of Pakistan with impunity. The 26/11 terrorist attack was planned, executed and launched from Pakistan territory,” said a formal Indian government statement. “We once again call on the Government of Pakistan to give up double standards and to expeditiously bring the perpetrators of the horrific attack to justice.”

Meanwhile, US State Department Rewards for Justice Program has offered a new reward for up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of any individual who was involved in planning or facilitating the 26/11 terror strikes. “Today’s announcement marks the third RFJ reward offer seeking information on the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack. In April 2012, the Department of State announced reward offers for information that brings to justice LeT founder Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and Hafiz Abdul Rahman Makki, another senior LeT leader,” the State Department said in a statement.

However, questions are being raised about use of such a reward given Hafiz Saeed roams around free in Pakistan spewing venom against India, making a mockery of the $10 million bounty on his head.

Beginning on November 26, 2008, and continuing through November 29, 2008, 10 attackers trained by the Pakistan-based foreign terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Tayyiba had carried out a series of coordinated attacks against multiple targets in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal hotel, the Oberoi hotel, the Leopold Café, the Nariman House, and the Chhatarapati Shivaji Terminus train station, killing approximately 170 persons.

Six Americans were killed during the three-day siege: Ben Zion Chroman, Gavriel Holtzberg, Sandeep Jeswani, Alan Scherr, his daughter Naomi Scherr, and Aryeh Leibish Teitelbaum.

David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana were indicted in a US federal court for their support of LeT terrorist operations.