U.S. should have blacklisted Salahuddin when he was active in Kashmir: U.S. Expert

Washington D.C. [USA], June 27 (ANI): Washington's decision to designate Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist shows that the United Sates recognises that India is a victim of terrorism, said a senior political scientist here. Senior political scientist Jonah Blank told ANI, "It says that the United States recognises that India is a victim of terrorism and that this something that the whole world should care about." He, however, added that the announcement should have come much earlier when Salahuddin was leading a terrorist movement in Kashmir. "This designation says that in the eyes of the US Salahuddin is not merely a terrorist active against India but with an impact globally. This would have had more impact if it would have been issued a long time ago for example when Salahuddin was leading the terrorist movement in Kashmir rather than now," said Blank. Meanwhile, India welcomed Washington's decision to designate Hizbul Chief Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin, as a 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist.' The announcement came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis today. Commenting on the development Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in a statement, "In that sense we would welcome this notification and also underlines strongly that both India and US face threat of terrorism and are working together to counter this threat." He added that this move by the U.S. vindicates India's long standing position that cross border terrorism from Pakistan has been behind the disturbances created in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Salahuddin is the senior leader of the militant group Hizbul Mujahideen. In September, 2016, Salahuddin vowed to block any peaceful resolution to the Kashmir conflict, threatened to train more Kashmiri suicide bombers, and vowed to turn the Kashmir valley "into a graveyard for Indian forces." Under Salahuddin's tenure as senior Hizbul leader, the terror outfit has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people. (ANI)