US: Pakistan militant group could hit US, Europe

Washington, Feb 16 (AP) The United States saysPakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba has the ability tostrike in Europe or the United States.

Director of the National Counterterrorism CenterMichael Leiter told a Senate intelligence hearing today therewere indications that Lashkar, blamed for the 2008 attacks onMumbai in India, was "expanding horizons beyond the region."

He said while Lashkar has the capacity to attackelsewhere, "we have not yet seen those steps occur."

Lashkar has been banned in Pakistan, but thegovernment there is accused of lacking the will to crack downon the group, originally set up to fight Indian securityforces in disputed Kashmir.

Leiter said another Lashkar attack on India could be a"very destabilizing factor" in the region. (AP)