Terrorist hiding in FATA planning attacks in US, Europe: Holbrook

The Hague (Netherland), Mar.31 (ANI): Strongly condemning the terror attack on the police training camp in Lahore, the United States Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke has expressed fears that several terrorists, hiding in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), were planning to carry out similar strikes in the US and European countries.

"The men who plan 9/11, who attack London or Madrid, who kill Benazir Bhutto and attack the hotels in Mumbai are still in the area of western Pakistan planning further attacks. The Taliban are their protective cordon. There was a common challenge, a common threat, a common purpose," The Daily Times quoted Holbrooke, as saying.

Addressing a joint media conference following a meeting with the Dutch Foreign Minister Maxine Verhagen here, Holbrooke said as long as the situation doesn't improve in Western Pakistan (FATA), it will be very difficult to stabilize Afghanistan.

Hoolbrooke is here to participate in the 90 nation's conference to discuss the United States-led war in Afghanistan to be held under the aegis the United States.

Talking about the conference, he said that the conference is a testimony to the fact that the world is still interested in Afghanistan, and wants peace there.

"The meeting was a signal that the world has not forgotten Afghanistan and now acknowledges that Pakistan is part of the issue," he added.

Holbrooke said the conference marked the transition from the policy formulation phase to the policy implementation phase, following the announcement of the revamped US strategy for Afghanistan

Besides Holbrooke, US Secretary of States Hillary Clinton will also be attending the conference. (ANI)