US linking Pakistani madrassa with terror underscores our position'

NEW DELHI: A day after the US designated a Pakistani madrassa as a terrorist organisation supporting the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Al Qaeda and Taliban, India today said it only confirms the long-held position that terror networks exist there and need to be dismantled.

"It merely underscores our long-held position that there exists a terrorist network and support framework in that region that needs to be targeted and dismantled," spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said.

The US had yesterday designated Ganj Madrassa in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, officially known as Jamia Taleem-Ul-Quran-Wal-Hadith Madrassa, for being used as a training and recruiting base by Al Qaeda, Taliban and LeT. The seminary also facilitates funding for the three groups.

Under the garb of religious education, students at the seminary are being trained to become bomb makers and suicide bombers for the three banned groups, the Treasury said.

The MEA spokesperson also said that India was not surprised as it was not something which was unusual as the government was aware of such networks.