New Delhi: Links between al-Qaida and Lashkar-e-Toiba have come to light with a senior Pakistani lawyer alleging in the Lahore High Court that Osama bin Laden's outfit had planned to set up technical and medical institutions in the country, Pak media reports said.

The report in 'The Friday Times' quotes a writ petition filed by Pakistan Supreme Court advocate Dr A Basit as alleging that the person who was financing the project to set up a university on the lawyer's land, was the "key figure" in links between al-Qaida and Lashkar-e-Toiba.

The petition was recently filed in the High Court by Basit to get his name cleared as the land that was acquired by al-Qaida belonged to his company.

The report said intelligence agencies had begun to "harass" Basit after the disappearance of the alleged al-Qaida operatives, including Saudi national Mahmood Bahaziq, known to be seventh in the al-Qaida hierarchy, and a retired Pakistan Army Brigadier Ajaib.

It quoted the petition as saying that Bahaziq, who was earlier staying at the headquarters of Lashkar-e-Toiba at Muridke near Lahore, shifted residence to the proposed university complex at Raiwind Road in Lahore.

"By all accounts, Bahaziq was the key figure in links between al-Qaida and Lashkar-e- Toiba and had presumably participated as a 'mujahid' in Bosnia. He is currently at large and in hiding," the report said.

PTI