U.S. State Department concerned about terrorism in Pakistan, Afghanistan

May 1, 2000
Web posted at: 11:28 a.m. HKT (0328 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The annual U.S. State Department report on terrorism, which will officially be released Monday, puts a new emphasis on terrorism in South and Central Asia, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

But a State Department official and another source familiar with the report say the department has stopped short of adding those two nations to the official list of countries the United States says sponsor terrorism.

Those nations remained the same as in previous years: Cuba, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea and Sudan.

MESSAGE BOARD India-Pakistan relations

In regards to Afghanistan, the State Department says it is a threat because it continues to shelter accused terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden, and because of the presence of a loose network of terror groups, some of which the State Department believes are being provided with money and materials by bin Laden.

State Department officials are also worried about the continued presence of terrorists in Pakistan, some of whom are working to gain control of Kashmir from India.

Neither country was added to the list of state sponsors of terrorism mainly because the United States does not believe either nation is actually sponsoring terrorist acts.

In general, sources tell CNN, the State Department believes that state-sponsored terrorism, as a whole is less of a concern.

Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi is reportedly nearly out of the terrorism game. North Korea, according to CNN sources, is also very close to ending its state sponsorship of terrorism.

State Department officials are now more concerned about the looming threat of weapons of mass destruction and the actions of smaller terrorist cells, according to sources.

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Islamic Republic of Pakistan
CIA World Factbook: Pakistan
Taleban Islamic Movement Official Web Site Home Page
CIA: The World Factbook 1999: Afghanistan

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