India assures security for international players amid new threats
February 17, 2010
On Tuesday, the Hong Kong-based Asia Times Online newspaper said it had received a message from the al-Qaeda-linked Pakistani militant Ilyas Kashmiri, who has warned international players against visiting India. The threat has prompted officials in New Zealand to delay their hockey team’s departure for India until a security update has been received.
Unknown group claims attack
The warning comes just days after a deadly terror attack in a bakery in western Indian city of Pune, in which at least 11 people were killed. According to India’s "The Hindu" newspaper, an unknown militant group called the Lashkar-e-Taiba Al Alami has called its correspondent in Islamabad and claimed responsibility for the attack. The paper said the caller told the correspondent that the attack was in response to India's "refusal" to discuss the issue of Kashmir in upcoming talks with Pakistan. The caller also warned against India’s alliance with the US, the paper added.
The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet on February 25 in New Delhi. Meanwhile India’s External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna has said that their talks will focus on terrorism. Speaking to an Indian TV channel, Krishna said India was concerned about terror activities emanating from Pakistan. Islamabad seeks the full resumption of the peace process, also called the "composite dialogue". This covers all bilateral issues, including the core dispute over Kashmir. Peace talks between the two nations were suspended after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which India blamed on the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
du/AFP/dpa
Editor: Thomas Baerthlein