Designating Salahuddin as global terrorist 'strong signal' from U.S.: MEA

Hailing Unites States' move to designate Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday dubbed it a strong signal from the administration.

"That is a strong signal from the administration," Indian Foreign Secretary Dr. S. Jaishankar said in a press briefing, which was a round-up after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House and held discussions on the bilateral relations of the two nations.

Washington yesterday designated Hizbul Chief Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin, as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist.'

Commenting on the development Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in a statement, "In that sense, we would welcome this notification and also underline strongly that both India and U.S. face threat of terrorism and are working together to counter this threat."

He added that this move by the U.S. vindicates India's long standing position that cross-border terrorism from Pakistan has been behind the disturbances created in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Salahuddin is the senior leader of the militant group Hizbul Mujahideen. In September, 2016, Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, and vowed to turn the Kashmir valley "into a graveyard for Indian forces."

Under Salahuddin's tenure as senior Hizbul leader, the terror outfit has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people.