US says Pak Taliban part of ‘most dangerous terrorist threat’ to it, war on terror

WASHINGTON - The Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, has been identified as part of the ‘most dangerous terrorist threat’ to the United States and its war on terrorism.

The TTP has links with Al Qaeda, and operates out of the tribal areas of Pakistan, where Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding.

“The TTP is very much part of the most dangerous terrorist threat that the United States faces,” The New York Times quoted Daniel Benjamin, Ambassador-at-Large for Counterterrorism, as saying at a State Department briefing.

“The TTP and Al-Qaeda have a symbiotic relationship: TTP draws ideological guidance from Al-Qaeda, while Al-Qaeda relies on the TTP for safe haven in the Pashtun areas along the Afghan-Pakistani border.”

“This mutual cooperation gives TTP access to both Al-Qaeda’s global terrorist network and the operational experience of its members. Given the proximity of the two groups and the nature of their relationship, TTP is a force multiplier for Al-Qaeda,” he added.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the Obama administration had added the TTP to its international terrorism blacklist, targeting the group and its leaders with financial and travel sanctions.

“The group threatens US national security,” said Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Secretary of State.

Clinton also named the group and its top leaders, Hakimullah Mehsud and Waliur Rehman, “specially designated global terrorists”, a classification that imposes additional state and treasury department sanctions.

“Each has committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of US nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States,” she said in the notice.

The move will freeze the group’s assets in US, makes it illegal for Americans to fund or support them and bars them from entering the US. (ANI)