US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has warned that the Al Qaeda would try to provoke a war between India and Pakistan with the aim to destabilizing Pakistan and gaining access to its nuclear arsenal.<br/><br/>Secretary of State Hillary Clinton backed the Defence Secretary saying that the Al Qaeda and like-minded terrorist groups were determined to seek nuclear weapons. The two senior officials told a hearing on President Obama's new Afghan policy at the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations last night that they had taken such threats very seriously.<br/><br/>Secretary Gates said the Al-Qaeda was also supporting the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group responsible for the Mumbai terrorist attacks. He said, Al Qaeda is providing them with targeting information and helping them in their plotting in India – clearly with the idea of provoking a conflict between India and Pakistan that would destabilize Pakistan.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, The United States has pledged to play a more pro-active role, to contain terrorism in India's immediate neighbourhood. Responding to queries of members, on a statement on the Prime Minister's visit to the U.S. in both houses of Parliament, the External Affairs Minister Mr. S.M. Krishna said that various aspects of terrorism came up for discussion, in the one – to – one talks between Dr. Manmohan Singh and the U.S. President Mr. Barack Obama. Mr. Krishna said the U.S. has also agreed to share details of the Headley – Rana investigation. The two are said to be the brain behind last November Mumbai terror attacks. <br/><br/> <br/><br/><br/>