Advani demands 'full' inquiry into Mumbai terror attack

Mumbai, April 5 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Sunday demanded 'a full and proper investigation' into the Nov 26-29, 2008, Mumbai terror attacks and punishment to those responsible for it.

Addressing a joint election rally with poll partner Shiv Sena at the Shivaji Park here Sunday evening, Advani said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, then home minister Shivraj Patil and National Security Advisor M.K. Naraynan had warned inside and outside parliament that the next attack on India could be from the sea route.

'However, despite having such information, what did the government do? What steps were taken to prevent it?' Advani asked.

Terming the Mumbai terror attacks as 'worse' than the March 12, 1993, serial bomb attacks in the financial capital of India, Advani pointed out that the 1993 attack was over in a matter of a few hours.

'But the Nov 26, 2008, terror attacks went on for 60 hours. It was like a war on the nation and the whole nation watched it mutely on television channels,' Advani said.

Recalling the 9/11 US terror attacks, Advani said shortly afterwards the US administration had set up an inquiry commission to inquire how four aircraft were hijacked on a single day and carried out the attacks.

Drawing parallels, Advani wondered why such an inquiry commission was not set up after the Mumbai terror attacks. He demanded a complete probe into the attack, identifying and punishing those who failed to prevent it.