Pakistani group joins US terror list

The group is linked to murdered journalist Daniel Pearl

The United States has designated a banned Pakistani Islamic group a terrorist organisation.

Secretary of State Colin Powell accused Lashkar-e-Jhangvi of close links with Osama Bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

They have ties to al-Qaeda, ties to the Taleban

US State Department

He said the group was also guilty of numerous bus and church bombings.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi was banned in Pakistan 18 months ago as part of President Musharraf's clampdown on Islamic extremists.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the group was involved in the kidnapping and subsequent murder a year ago in Karachi of US journalist Daniel Pearl.

Mr Boucher said Lashkar-e-Jhangvi had also killed four oil workers in 1997 in the same city.

"They have ties to al-Qaeda, ties to the Taleban, in addition to receiving sanctuary in Afghanistan for their activities in Pakistan," he said.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi was banned in Pakistan in August 2001 for inciting sectarian strife.

Assets and visas

The US move brings to 36 the number of foreign organisations it lists as terrorist.

Americans are forbidden by law from providing assistance to groups on the list.

US financial institutions are required to block the financial assets of such foreign organisations.

The designation also enables the State Department to deny visas to their members.

Mr Boucher said the US would also try to have the group added to the United Nations terrorism list.