India to be a terror target: Pak militant leader

Islamabad: A top Pakistani militant commander linked to al-Qaeda has praised terrorists behind attacks in India and said the country will become a major target of terrorist assaults once the US withdraws from Afghanistan.

Asmatullah Muawiya, a former Jaish-e-Mohammed leader who serves as one of al-Qaeda`s `company` commanders, released a statement praising Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and Afzal Guru, who was convicted of involvement in the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001. He threatened that attacks in India will increase as jihadi groups would shift their focus from Afghanistan to Kashmir once the US withdraws its forces from the region. Muawiya`s remarks hinted at the Inter-Services Intelligence agency`s ties to jihadist groups, The Long War Journal reported. He claimed the ISI would not be able to control the groups it has supported and directed in the past. Muawiya`s statement was published on the jihadist Jamia Hafsa Urdu Forum on February 24 and was obtained and translated by the privately-run SITE Intelligence Group. PTI