Blast In Mumbai's Suburban Train

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Al-Qaida Claims It Has Kashmir Network

By MUJTABA ALI AHMAD


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SRINAGAR, India (AP) -- <b>A man claiming to represent al-Qaida in Kashmir said the terror network had set up a wing in Kashmir and appealed to Indian Muslims to take up jihad, an Indian news agency reported Thursday. An official said the government said it was taking the claim "very seriously."</b>

The man, who identified himself as Abu al-Hadeed, told Kashmir's Current News Service that "who so ever has carried out the attacks in Bombay we express our gratitude and happiness."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->"We appeal to Muslims in India to fight for freedom and Islam and choose jihad as their way to achieve freedom and establishing Islamic ways," al-Hadeed was quoted as saying. He added the Bombay bombings "are a reaction to what is happening to the minorities, especially Muslims in India."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

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Al-Hadeed identified the network's Kashmir leader as Abu Abdul Rehman al-Ansari. Both names are Arabic, not Urdu, the language spoken by most of Muslims in India and Pakistan.

Current News said al-Hadeed spoke in Urdu. But he reportedly said: "Henceforth our statements will be in Arabic."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->