WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- The designation of the Indian Mujahedin symbolizes the close counter-terrorism cooperation with New Delhi but also serves as a stern notice, Washington said.
The U.S. State Department announced Thursday it designated the Indian Mujahedin as a foreign terrorist organization. The group was a main suspect in a July 13 triple attack in Mumbai, which left 19 people dead and more than 120 injured.
The State Department said Indian Mujahedin's primary method of attack is multiple, coordinated bombings.
Mark Toner, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said Washington was "absolutely certain" the group had a connection to the terrorist attack in India.
What this does is it tries to isolate them from the U.S. financial system," said Toner of the terrorist designation. "It also sends a very clear message to the world that we consider this to be an international terrorist organization and it kind of puts them on notice, if you will."
The designation followed hearings on Indian counter-terrorism initiatives at the U.S. House Foreign Affairs committee, where officials said there were "real, hard U.S. interests at stake."
The State Department linked the Indian Mujahedin to Lashkar-e-Toiba, which coordinated the 2008 attacks on Mumbai.
