India Denies Support To Pakistan Insurgents

India's government is denying Pakistani allegations it is fomenting the insurgency in Waziristan. Meanwhile, New Delhi is warning that any future terror attacks in India traced back to Pakistan will prompt a response. From the Indian capital,

Government officials here are strongly denying providing a helping hand to the Taliban and other insurgents Pakistan's military is battling in Waziristan.

South Waziristan is a rugged and lawless part of the Pakistan Federally Administered Tribal Areas, bordering Afghanistan. Pakistani officials say their forces there have seized Indian-made guns, bombs and medicine.

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirumpama Rao - speaking briefly to reporters Wednesday - was asked about Pakistan's claim it will soon send proof of Indian involvement to New Delhi.

"We want a stable and peaceful Pakistan and we have worked consistently towards that. There is no question of there being any factual basis to these reports," Rao said.

Earlier, at a defense seminar in the capital, Rao called on Islamabad to abide by its commitment to dismantle the terror infrastructure operating from Pakistan. She is calling for the international community to apply "effective pressure" on Islamabad to achieve that.

India blames several terrorist attacks on militants who came from Pakistan -- most recently the siege of Mumbai, last November. More than 160 people were killed in the 60-hour assault.

Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram addresses a press conference in Hyderabad (File photo)
India's Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram this week publicly warned that New Delhi cannot tolerate such attacks and will strongly retaliate for similar incidents, in the future.

In a speech Wednesday, army chief General Deepak Kapoor said India has not been successful in stopping repeat terrorist attacks.

"India has allowed people to get away after the <2001> parliament attack, the <2008> Delhi blasts and finally the 26/11 incident. The time for all of us has come to say 'no more,'" Kapoor said.

In recent days, Indian media have reported government forces went on high alert at the beginning of the month, in anticipation of a terror strike directed at the western coastal state, Gujarat or a major city - perhaps Mumbai, Kolkata or Bangalore.

This comes following last month's arrests of two men in the U.S. Midwestern city of Chicago whom the Federal Bureau of Investigation alleges were planning terror attacks in India and Denmark.

The United States, Britain and Israel are among the countries which have issued advisories to their citizens warning of the possibility of new attacks here by terror groups.