Zardari's denial

Letter sent to The Hindu on Saturday, 6th Dec. 2008.
Sir,
Zardari's denial of Pakistan's responsibility in the recent Mumbai attack on the ground that the terrorists were ‘stateless actors’ is self-defeating. Unlike wars, terrorism is always a stateless act; it has only targets. Seeking its statehood, as implied in the editorial, 'Denial or worse?' (The Hindu, Dec.6), is desperate, dumb and digressive.
Actually, the convention of universal jurisprudence is that a ‘stateless’ crime would make the responsibility everyone’s. In his New York Times Op-Ed, ‘Piracy Is Terrorism’ (Dec.5, 2008), Douglas R. Burgess Jr. says that the law of "hostis humani generis" or ‘enemies of the human race’ had been invoked time and again since ancient times by governments of various states to deal with piracy in international waters. Terrorism is more ‘stateless’ and dastardly than piracy. Instead of relying on denials, Zardari should invoke this law and join the investigation proactively along with India and other concerned nations. It may eventually help him in the on-going tussle with the military establishment. Let us all wish him well.
P.P.Sudhakaran,
Bangalore.