Possible link between New York ‘bomber’ and Masood Azhar’s JeM unraveled

LOS ANGELES - In what could lead to a major disclosure in the case of the failed Times Square bombing plot, Pakistani investigators have claimed arresting a Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) operative from Karachi, who is said to have links with Faisal Shahzad, the American-Pakistani accused of plotting the bungled bombing in New York.

A Pakistani official, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, said that Sheik Mohammed Rehan, an alleged member of JeM, a banned terror group having close relations with the Al-Qaeda, drove with Shahzad from Karachi to Peshawar in July 2009, The Los Angeles Times reports.

Officials however said it is still not clear why both of them had visited Peshawar and whether they met any extremist leader there.

It may be noted that Maulana Masood Azhar led JeM is primarily focused on Kashmir, and keeps on pushing trained militants into India to wreak havoc in the region.

The group, in coordination with Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT), has also been implicated in the 2001 Parliament terror attack.

Over the years, the Punjab province based extremist group has expanded its reach and has trained thousands of young men to fight against the U.S. and NATO forces engaged against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

It was also linked to the 2002 kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl.

Pakistan had banned the JeM in 2002, but analysts believe that it is receiving continuous help from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Some experts are also of the view that the ISI had actually facilitated the terror group’s formation. (ANI)