HuJI chief warns sports-persons against visiting India

Vowing to carry out attacks across India, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir-based HuJI has warned international sports-persons against visiting the country to participate in upcoming events like the Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth Games.

Asia Times Online claimed Ilyas Kashmiri, a former Pakistani commando whose 313 Brigade is an operational arm of al-Qaeda, has vowed to continue attacks across India while threatening international sports-persons to face the consequences if they chose to visit the country.

"We warn the international community not to send their people to 2010 Hockey World Cup, IPL and Commonwealth Games... Nor should their people visit India - if they do, they will be responsible for the consequences," Kashmiri, the fugitive chief of PoK chapter of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, warned in a message delivered to the Asia Times online.

The message comes after the Pune bomb blasts but does not specifically claim responsibility for the incident.

"The message does not specifically claim responsibility for the bombing, but implies the Brigade's involvement," the news portal said in a story from Islamabad.

Kashmiri is believed to have directed LeT operative David Coleman Headley in his planning missions for the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.