Beijing: In yet another move that exposes China’s dual standards on terrorism, Beijing today disowned a documentary shown by the state-run channels about the involvement of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiyaba (LeT) in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that claimed the lives of 164 people and left over 300 injured.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on its website today said that “it is a dubbed version of an American TV programme and no way represents the government's position”.
"We have contacted the Chinese media and learnt that the relevant program is a Chinese-dubbed American documentary. What it (documentary) said does not represent the position of the Chinese government. China's position on the issue of counter-terrorism remains unchanged," it said.
The Ministry's reaction was in response to a question on the China Central Television (CCTV) documentary on the Mumbai terror attacks, linking Pakistan to the assault.
While it was unprecedented for CCTV to carry a documentary in which confessions of Ajmal Kasab, the lone survivor of the Mumbai attacks, was also shown, officials say it was equally rare for Chinese Foreign Ministry to refute the report which went against China's all weather ally Pakistan.
The documentary coinciding with India-China spat over Beijing putting technical holds in UN on India's attempts to bring about a UN ban on some of the leaders of LET and Jaish-e-Muhammad sparked off speculation that China may be reviewing its stand.
The footage was first aired by the state-run Shanghai television weeks ahead of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit last month and subsequently shown by CCTV documentary channel.
The documentary containing details of planning and execution of the Mumbai attacks by LeT militants caught Indian officials here by surprise as Chinese state media shows extreme care and caution in airing negative news about Pakistan.
China had in the past said that it “feels awkward about the Mumbai terror attacks and wants to address India's concerns over terrorism emanating from Pakistan in a more constructive way”.
India has blamed LeT for the coordinated attacks on November 26, 2008, in Mumbai. Islamabad had admitted that the terrorist actions were plotted on its soil by the militant group, but denied the role of the state in the gruesome killings.
Though LeT is banned in Pakistan, many of its leaders, including Hafiz Saeed and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, roam freely and hold public rallies.
10 members of LeT had carried out a series of 12 coordinated attacks lasting four days across Mumbai, killing 164 people and injuring at least 308.
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