LeT out to fill gap created by diminished al-Qaida: US

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) The US Thursday said the Mumbai
attacks had shown that Lashkar-e-Taiba was out to "fill the
gap" created by a "diminished al-Qaeda" and a "decisive"
action was needed from all countries of South Asia including
Pakistan to defeat it.
US Coordinator on Counter-Terrorism Dan Benjamin said
the aim of securing the world would remain incomplete unless
LeT is defeated.
"I have said that we will not achieve our security
aims if this group (LeT), with thousands of men under arms (is
active)... We could see in Mumbai attacks, the target was set
directly out of Bin Laden's book, filling the gap created by a
diminished Al Qaeda," Benjamin said at a function Indian
Capital.
"We should be clear that terrorist threat in South
Asia requires decisive counter-terrorism efforts by all
countries of the region," Benjamin added.
He said his country was not just focussing on Al Qaeda
"but also against groups which are growing and have global
reach like LeT".
The US official said the US and allied forces have made
important gains against Al Qaeda but socio-political and
economic issues were to be addressed to counter the challenge
thrown by terrorism. (MORE) PTI