'Pak plans jehadi belt around India'

MOSCOW: Pakistan plans to encircle India with a jehadi belt and destabilise peace in Central Asia, a top field commander of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance has claimed.

"Pakistan's strategic goal is to create a belt of Islamic jehad around India," and disturb peace in Central Asia with assistance from the Taliban, commander of anti-Taliban forces in Panjshir sector, Bismillah Khan, told a Russian daily.

Also, despite US sanctions, Taliban continues to receive arms from Pakistan, Vremya Novostyei quoted him as saying.

Another senior leader of the Northern alliance, former interior minister in the Rabbani government, Yunis Kanuni said the key to peace in Afghanistan is in the hands of Islamabad as the Taliban militia is a "Pakistani puppet".

Meanwhile, Russia has warned against establishment of an international terrorist centre on the Taliban-controlled Afghan territory amid media reports about the appointment of Saudi billionaire Osama bin Laden as the chief of the Taliban forces and Juma Namangani as his deputy.

"Under the cover of protecting pseudo-religious values, the Taliban are preparing a base to expand militant extremism and separatism beyond the borders of the region," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=1396335016

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 16, 2001

Answers

Just to add a little perspective --

The Northern Alliance is PRO India/Anti Pakistan...If for no other reason than the Pak government set up the Taliban at the expense of the tribes that make up the Northern Alliance.

I doubt this Northern Alliance guy has a lot of (any!) detailed, inside, Pakistani info.

JB

-- Jackson Brown (Jackson_Brown@deja.com), October 16, 2001.

I consider it as part of the ongoing propaganda war between India and Pakistan since it came from an Indian newspaper.

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 16, 2001.

Martin --

My comments were for the benifit of others who may read it with a less critical eye...those who might miss the significance of the source of the comments and the article.

Cheerz --

JB

-- Jackson Brown (Jackson_Brown@deja.com), October 16, 2001.

Know this. I believe anyway, that if the Paks do form a belt(of maniacal jihadin mo fos) around India and the U.S. has to defend them...it'll be called -- THE LINE UP AND GET SHOT BELT. These people really need to-LIVE AND LET LIVE.

-- jimmie-the-weed (thinkasur@aol.com), October 16, 2001.