The Congress has downplayed the distinction made by the US between 9/11 and 26/11 attacks and its apparent unwillingness to back any “hot pursuit” by India of Mumbai terror attack perpetrators similar to the operation in Pakistan to eliminate Osama bin Laden.

“We are not bound in any manner by the view of any other country in the matters of our security. That is their opinion. Our actions are premised on our own decisions and our independent policy. It is quite possible our independent policy can tally with any other country, but it will be our decision”, party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters in New Delhi on Friday.

He was asked about US State Department spokesman Mark Toner’s response to a question about whether the US policy of “right to self defence” applies to other countries like India.

Toner had said, “I don’t want to speculate too broadly about an operation that was clearly unique… where we had an individual who had perpetrated heinous crimes against not only American citizens but citizens around the globe,” he said.

“We acted…because we believed he was a direct and imminent threat to the United States,” Toner had added.

166 people were killed when 10 Pakistani terrorists executed multiple terror strikes on Mumbai on 26th November 2008.