All indications point to demostic source of Mumbai bombings: Robert Blake All indications point to demostic source of Mumbai bombings: Robert Blake

All indications point to a domestic source of the last week’s bombings in Mumbai, not Pakistan, a top U.S.  official for South and Central Asia has said. Robert Blake Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia told  India Abroad on the eve of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to India that he had seen no evidence suggesting the attacks emanated from Pakistani soil. “I must say I haven’t seen any evidence to that yet. To my knowledge the appropriate Indian authorities are working on this.  From all the indications that   I  have seen it does seem to point to a domestic source, but again, these investigations are ongoing and our Indian friends have to lead on this,” Blake said, according to a transcript of the interview released by the State Department on Wednesday.

On Afghanistan, Blake said the U.S. attaches importance to India’s continued engagement in Afghanistan and the importance that India will be playing in ensuring the success of the important transition in the conflict-hit country.
“Indeed, I think one of our important priorities over the next one to two years will be to work closely with India, with Central Asia and with Pakistan to give greater impetus to the regional integration that must take place and to open up those trade routes and provide mechanisms for more investments by countries like India but also others so that Afghanistan really can prosper, that young people in Afghanistan will not seek to join terrorist groups but will have true economic and other opportunities.” APP