This Article is From Sep 28, 2013

Barack Obama says Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba a worldwide terror threat: sources

Barack Obama says Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba a worldwide terror threat: sources

Barack Obama after his meeting with PM Manmohan Singh.

Washington DC: Sources say the US President Barack Obama, in his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday, said there's a worldwide terror threat from Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, accused of carrying out the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, in which 166 people were killed, including six Americans.

Affirming their deep concern over the continuing threat posed by terrorism, India and the US have called for Pakistan to work toward bringing the perpetrators of the November 2008 attacks to justice.

"They reiterated their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms, and reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, and disrupting terrorist networks including al-Qaeda and the Lashkar-e-Taiba," said a joint India-US statement issued after Mr Singh met the US President.

Sources say the discussion on terrorism between Mr Singh and President Obama was quite detailed, with the Prime Minister accusing Pakistan's Punjab government of financing Hafiz Saeed's Jammat-ud-Daawa. Saeed is considered the mastermind of the 26/11 attacks.

"The leaders called for Pakistan to work towards bringing the perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice," the joint statement said.

Sources said the Prime Minister also told President Obama of the difficulties that India faced in its relations with Pakistan, with Islamabad showing "no diminution in the terror campaign" from the safe terror sanctuaries in the country.

Mr Singh is also said to have discussed Thursday's terrorist attack in the Samba region of Jammu and Kashmir, killing 10 people, including a Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian Army.

"India feels the impact of terror every waking hour," Dr Singh is reported to have told the US President.

Calling Pakistan the "epicentre of terror", Mr Singh has said expectations have to be "toned down" over his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on Sunday.
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