India repeats suspects issue

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- India is demanding that Pakistan handover 20 suspected militants it accuses of carrying out terrorist attacks and other crimes on Indian territory.

The call came on Monday raising tension between the nuclear neighbours.

It is the third request by India since giving Pakistan the list of suspected criminals on December 31.

A second request asking Pakistan to apprehend the suspects was made on January 18.

Indian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Nirupama Rao said the issue was raised a third time with Jaleel Jeelani, Pakistan's deputy high commissioner in New Delhi.

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Rao said it was regrettable that Pakistan had not taken any action against those on the list, many of whom she said are sought by Interpol for questioning.

If Pakistan is sincere in its declared commitment to fight international terrorism, it must apprehend the suspects, Rao said.

Pakistan said last month it had detained hundreds of activists from banned Islamic groups and closed down scores of their offices.

The clampdown was seen as an effort by Pakistan to ease tensions with India following the December attack on the Indian Parliament that killed 14 people, including the five attackers.

The 20 were arrested after Pakistan's president General Pervez Musharraf, who is on a visit to the United States, vowed to crack down on religious extremism.

But relations between the two remain strained and each has massed more troops on their borders.

Last week Musharraf said residents of the disputed region of Kashmir, which is divided into territories ruled by Pakistan, India and China, should have the right to determine their own rulers.

He also accused India of human rights and other violations.

"On this day, the government and the people of Pakistan reaffirm their solidarity with their brothers and their sisters in the Indian-occupied Kashmir, and reconfirm their unswerving and unequivocal support to the legitimate and variant struggle of the Kashmiri people for their inalienable right for self-determination," Musharraf said.

India reacted strongly to Musharraf's comments, saying he was interfering in the country's internal affairs.

India also rejected Musharraf's call for direct talks with India to ease the tensions.

Rao said the atmosphere is still "not appropriate" for talks.