LeT has trans-national ambition, says Mullen

Washington, Jun 24: Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which was responsible for the Mumbai attacks and a number of terrorists strikes inside India, now has trans-national ambition, a top Pentagon official has said.

"LeT, which is the local outfit in eastern Pakistan focused on India, is now in the west and now has trans- national aspirations," Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman, US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers at a Congressional hearing.

"Terrorist organisations are all so different, generally in support of each other, and that in this place this is the epicenter of terrorism in the world and that's one of the reasons the focus on both Afghanistan and Pakistan is so important," Mullen said in response to a question.

Last month, making a testimony before US Congress sub-committee, US security experts told the lawmakers that the LeT was trying to expand its focus by joining the fight against US forces in Afghanistan, launching terror attacks against India, participating in the global jihad and non-violent activism in Pakistan.

Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command, told lawmakers in April that the US is currently working in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and India in order to build those nations'' capacities or assist in building their capacities to attempt to contain LeT in those areas.

PTI