US counter-terrorism strategy identifies Lashkar-e-Taiba and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan as threat

In addition to ISIS and al-Qaeda, dozens of other Islamist groups are working to advance more locally focused campaigns, while still posing a threat to United States persons and interests overseas, said the National Strategy for Counter-terrorism, released by the White House.

The United States’ new counterterrorism strategy has listed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan among terrorist organisations that could potentially target the country, its interests and personnel.

Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Taiba employ a range of political and terrorist tactics to undermine local governments and conduct attacks, the report said. (AFP/Picture for representation)

Unveiling the new strategy on Thursday, National Security Adviser John Bolton expressed willingness to engage with the new government of Imran Khan on Pakistan’s long-standing support for terrorism and move forward on repairing relations.

“We hope with the new government there, that we might be able to turn the page and move forward,” Bolton said when asked if a security aid freeze came up during his meeting with Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who met him earlier in the week. “We certainly talked about the suspension of security assistance and the importance that we placed on Pakistan renewing an effective campaign against terrorists,” Bolton said, but stressed Washington hopes to work with the Khan government, and called his meeting with Qureshi “positive”.

The National Strategy for Counter-terrorism said that besides ISIS and al-Qaeda, dozens of radical Islamist terrorist groups are working to advance more locally focused insurgent or terrorist campaigns, while still posing a threat to US persons and interests overseas. “These groups, including Boko Haram, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, and Lashkar-e-Taiba, employ a range of political and terrorist tactics to undermine local governments and conduct attacks,” it said.

Both LeT and TTP are based in Pakistan. While LeT targets India, with known Pakistani acquiescence and encouragement, TTP has tended to focus on Pakistani targets at home.

The US strategy, which Bolton said was different from previous version for its emphasis on targeting the radical ideology behind the menace, counts Islamic State and al-Qaeda as the pre-eminent threats to America .

Six Americans were among the 166 victims of the terrorist attack carried out by LeT in Mumbai in 2008. David Headley, an American of Pakistani descent, had played a key role in planning the attacks and had confessed to his crimes since, admitting to his LeT and al-Qaeda links.

The Trump administration punished Pakistan earlier this year by suspending nearly $2 billion in security-related aid over its continued reluctance to act decisively against terrorists operating from its soil.

President Donald Trump had launched a tough new approach towards the one-time ally in 2017, announcing his new South Asia strategy, and had followed that up with a New Year tweet accusing Pakistan of “lies and deceit”.

A reset of ties was first signalled during secretary of state Mike Pompeo’s visit to Islamabad in September.

Bolton made it clear that it was the new US strategy on Pakistan, but stressed the Washington will continue to expect Islamabad to act on combating terrorism.