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Bush wants 'action', not 'words' from Pakistan

T V Parasuram in Washington

Mounting pressure on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, United States President George W Bush firmly asked Pakistan to take action against Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terrorist organisations operating in that country, saying he wanted 'action' and not 'words' from partners in the coalition against terror.

"The president calls on him (Musharraf) to take action against the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammed and other terrorist organisations, their leaders and their finances," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said.

Pledging US help in giving intelligence information and even troops if necessary to any nation battling terrorism, Bush said, "Many of the world leaders that have been here in the Oval office will tell you that one of the strong messages that I send is. 'Thank you for your condolences. I appreciate your flowers. Now arrest somebody if they are in your country'."

Bush's comments at a Oval office function came a few hours after both his press secretary Ari Fleischer and State Department spokesman Richard Boucher urged Pakistan publicly to act against LeT, JeM, their leaders and their funding, and expressed US confidence that Musharraf will do so.

The LeT, meanwhile, said in Islamabad that it will have to think a 'thousand times' before it decides to take any action against the outfit in response to the US ban on them.

Bush also told reporters at the Oval office function that the US is 'very much involved' in defusing tensions between India and Pakistan after he denounced the terrorist attack on Indian Parliament.

"A flare up in that region could really create problems for all of us that are engaged in the fight against terror," Bush said adding, "we're mindful of the potential there in the area and we're on the phone."

Complete Coverage: The Attack on Parliament

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