US officials claimed LeT against improving ties between Indo-Pak

Washington: A top American counter-terrorism official has said that the Lashkar-e-Toiba is against improving relations between India and Pakistan.

Nicholas Rasmussen, deputy director, National Counterterrorism Center, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said, “Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) is against improving relations between India and Pakistan, and its leaders consistently speak out against (India) and the US, accusing both countries of trying to destabilize Pakistan.”

He said, “However, LeT also provides training to Pakistani and Western militants, some of whom could plot terrorist attacks in the West without direction from LeT leadership.”

Rasmussen said Pakistani and Afghan militant groups including Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Haqqani Network and LeT continue to pose a direct threat to US interests and its allies in the region, where these groups probably will remain focused.

He said, “We continue to watch for indicators that any of these groups, networks, or individuals are actively pursuing or have decided to incorporate operations outside of South Asia as a strategy to achieve their objectives.”

Rasmussen said, “TTP remains a significant threat in Pakistan despite the ongoing Pakistan military operations in North Waziristan and leadership changes during the past year. Its claim of responsibility for the June attack on the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi that killed about 30 people underscores the threat the group poses inside the country.”

Notify that US had listed four top Haqqani members last month. They are Aziz Haqqani, Khalil Haqqani, Yahya Haqqani, and Qari Abdul Rauf – on the “Rewards for Justice” most-wanted list for their involvement in terrorist attacks and ties to al-Qaeda.

“The Haqqanis have conducted numerous high-profile attacks against US, NATO, Afghan Government, and other allied nation targets. In October 2013, Afghan security forces intercepted a truck bomb deployed by the Haqqanis against Forward Operating Base Goode in the Paktiya Province.”

“The device, which did not detonate, contained some 61,500 pounds of explosives and constitutes the largest truck bomb ever recovered in Afghanistan.”

Bureau Report