May 28, 2011 1:06 PM

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Test for Pak: US wants 5 terrorists

Post slaying of Osama bin Laden, the US has drawn up a list of five terrorists, on whom it expects Pakistan to provide intelligence immediately and possibly target them in joint operations. According to US officials, the list includes al-Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al Zawahiri, Mullah Omar and Illyas Kashmiri, linked with the Mumbai terror attacks. Media reports in Islamabad say, 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 on Friday. The list also includes commander Sirajuddin Haqqani, the operating chief of Haqqani network and Atiya Abdel Rahman, the Libyan operations chief of al-Qaeda, who had emerged as a key intermediary between bin Laden and Qaeda's affiliate networks across the world.The reports say 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. An American source too confirmed the existence of the list and said the softening of US position on unilateral action against terrorists found in Pakistan was conditional. The source was quoted by the newspaper Dawn as saying that the message given to Pakistani leaders was loud and clear– either cooperate or US will take care of these terrorists by itself.

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