Washington: The US has warned that terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir "threatens to
become a flashpoint for a wider Indo-Pak conflict", while terming Pakistan as
a "favoured destination" for fleeing terrorists from Afghanistan.
"Extremist violence in Kashmir, fuelled by infiltration from Pakistan across the
line of control (LoC), threatens to become a flashpoint for a wider India-Pakistan
conflict," J Cofer Black, co-ordinator for counter terrorism in the US State
Department, said.
Testifying before the House International Relations Committee, he said Pakistan has
become a "favoured destination" for fleeing terrorists from Afghanistan.
However, Black said, "Pakistan's support (to the US in going after them (terrorists)
has been excellent." This, he said, was demonstrated by the arrest of al-Qaida's
operational planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, and Ramsi bin al-Shibh, a September 11
planner.
"Extremist violence in Pakistan continues to claim more Pakistani lives than the
Westerners on whom it is targeted" while the remaining al-Qaida and Taleban cells
and sympathetic groups continued to present a danger throughout Afghanistan, he said.
Elsewhere in South Asia, he said, there is reason for guarded optimism.
"The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka have ordered peace
negotiations with the government. The Maoist insurgents in Nepal have also declared
a ceasefire… but we are watching carefully for signs that they might choose a return
to violence," Black said.
PTI
