Can't speculate on Indian 26/11 handler: Chidambaram

The ten Pakistani terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008 could have been guided by an Indian handler whose true identity was yet to be ascertained, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Thursday.

"When we say he could be an Indian, he could be somebody who acquired Indian characteristics. He could have been infiltrated into India and lived here long enough to acquire an Indian accent, familiarity with Hindi words or he could be somebody who exfiltrated from India to Pakistan and was adopted by the militants there," Chidambaram said.

While refusing to speculate on the name of the handler, the home minister said investigators had known for long time that there was a handler in 26/11 attack who could be an Indian.

"We know him by Abu Jundal that something we have known for many many months now... but he is not Abu Jundal. That is not his real name. We cannot put a finger who he is, unless we get a voice sample. And they won't give us voice samples," he said.

"There is a speculation that Abu Jundal could be A, Abu Jundal could be B....but how as a home minister I can speculate? I can't speculate," he told CNBC-TV18 news channel.