India says all options open to dismantle terror groups

By Nigam Prusty and Sheree Sardar

NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - India said on Wednesday it would keep all options open to dismantle "terror outfits" after the Mumbai attacks and Pakistan finally confirmed the lone surviving gunman was Pakistani.

Pakistan's Prime Minister dismissed his national security adviser shortly afterwards. India had been saying for weeks that Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, who was captured after the November attacks, was from Pakistan.

The prime minister's office said Mehmood Ali Durrani had been sacked "for his irresponsible behaviour for not taking the prime minister and other stakeholders into confidence, and a lack of coordination on matters of national security."

Indian officials have shown increasing frustration at what they see as Pakistan's unwillingness to fully investigate the attacks in November by 10 gunmen that killed 179 people.

"I say we are keeping all options open," Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Times Now television. Only hours earlier Defence Minister A.K. Antony had made similar comments.

Information Minister Sherry Rehman said initially on Wednesday the gunman had links with Pakistan and that the investigation was continuing. "We have confirmed it," she told Reuters later, referring to the fact he was a Pakistani citizen.

The Hindu newspaper published details from India's dossier of evidence on Wednesday, including what it said were transcripts of conversations between handlers and the gunmen during the attack.

"Everything is being recorded by the media. Inflict the maximum damage. Keep fighting. Don't be taken alive," one handler identified as Kafa told a gunman, the newspaper said.