Test for Pak: US hands over list of five terrorists

The US has drawn up a list of five terrorists, including Ilyas Kashmiri who has been linked to the Mumbai attacks, it expects Pakistan to provide intelligence about immediately and possibly target in joint operations, according to a media report today.

The list was discussed during three meetings between Pakistani and US officials in the past two weeks, including secretary of state Hillary Clinton's talks with Pakistani leaders in Islamabad yesterday, ABC News quoted a US official, a Pakistani government official and a Pakistani intelligence official as saying.

The list also includes Osama bin Laden's deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri, Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar, commander Siraj Haqqani and Atiya Abdel Rahman, the Libyan operations chief of al-Qaeda.

The US views the list as a test of whether Pakistan is "serious about fighting terrorists who have long enjoyed safe havens within its borders", the report said.

An American source too confirmed the existence of the list to the Dawn newspaper and said the US softening its position on unilateral action against terrorists found in Pakistan was conditional.

"The message given to Pakistani leaders was loud and clear: you either cooperate with us on these...terrorists or we'll take care of them by ourselves," the source was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Ilyas Kashmiri has emerged as one of the most dangerous terrorists in recent years. He is a militant with international goals and connections across Arabia and South Asia.