ISLAMABAD, Feb 5: The government has decided not to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for prosecuting people accused in terror attacks taking place abroad and to proceed against them under other existing laws.

According to sources, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s Adviser on Interior Affairs Rehman Malik has convinced him that the amendment is not required and that such suspects can be dealt with under other laws.

Scores of activists of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba are in detention following a countrywide crackdown launched in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks.

The Anti-Terrorism Act does not apply to crimes committed outside the country.

The government had earlier decided to amend the law to extend its jurisdiction to crimes committed abroad and to enact the amendment through a presidential ordinance with retrospective effect.

The amendment envisaged increase in remand period in terror cases from 15 to 90 days and setting up of an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad for such cases.

Meanwhile, the Federal Investigation Agency in a rejoinder to the report titled ‘Investigators see Bangladesh link in Mumbai terror attacks’, published in Dawn’s Feb 5 issue, described it as speculative.

It said the agency had carried out the probe independently and did not at any stage share any information with the FBI (the US Federal Bureau of Investigation) or any other international agency. Requests for assistance regarding specific matters from other countries were sent through proper government channels as per laid down procedure, it said.

It may be mentioned here that the report was based on information provided by reliable sources who insist that the Bangladesh link was probed and there was sufficient evidence to suggest the involvement of Harkatul Jihad Al Islami Bangladesh in the Mumbai attacks.