LeT is a terror proxy of ISI: King

Image
Press Trust of India Washington
Last Updated : Jun 13 2013 | 7:35 AM IST
Asserting that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a terrorist network supported and nurtured by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan, a top American lawmaker warned that Islamabad would have to bear the responsibility of any terrorist attack on the US coming from LeT.
"We should make it clear to Pakistan that any LeT attack upon our homeland, they will bear responsibility for that because of their close relationship between ISI and LeT," Congressman Peter King said during a Congressional hearing yesterday.
Designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the United Nations, LeT, King alleged is a proxy of Pakistani intelligence.
"I think it's important to note that. The LeT is a terror proxy of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, its ISI, which provides LeT with a safe haven and funding to train and prepare for terrorist attacks," he said.
King, the Republican lawmaker from New York, is Chairman of the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee.
"While focused on Pakistan's dispute over Kashmir, an issue over which it regularly kills innocent Indian civilians, LeT's reach is broad and goes abroad. In addition to the 2009 plot in Denmark, LeT supported a planned 2002 attack on Australia by means of a trainer sent from France," he said.
LeT's networks span across South Asia and the Persian Gulf into Europe, especially Britain, as well as Canada and New Zealand, King added.
"LeT actively recruits Westerners, maintains social media sites in colloquial American English and has since the 1990s sustained support cells here in the United States. LeT members were arrested in the homeland as recently as 2011 when Jubair Ahmad was arrested in Woodbridge, Virginia.
"Eleven LeT members previously have been arrested in Virginia back in 2003. Suspected LeT operatives are reported to have surveilled several identified potential terror targets in this country," he said.
"LeT practices good communication security and is proficient at surveillance skills, making it a difficult target for our intelligence collection efforts, which should be immediately increase on this target. LeT maintains ties with al-Qaida.
"They fight together against us in Afghan provinces of Ghazni, Kunar and Nuristan. LeT terrorists earlier fought our forces in Iraq. When our special operators raiders Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, they reportedly recovered correspondence between the late al-Qaida leader and the LeT leader, Hafiz Saeed," King said.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 13 2013 | 7:35 AM IST

Next Story