European embassies in Bangladesh threatened

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella organisation of various Islamist militant groups, has urged Muslim youths of the world to attack European embassies including those in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

A prominent militant commander, Maulana Asmatullah Muawiya, called upon young Muslims to replicate the attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, according to a report by the Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMR).

Asian News International (ANI), an Indian news agency, quoted the leading Washington-based research institute that specialises in translating and monitoring jihadi media networks operating in local languages, as saying Muawiya made the call through a high-definition video released by Umar Media, the broadcasting arm of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

The report by MEMR further reveals that Umar Media released Muawiya's video through its Facebook account. The exact timing of the video is not clear, ANI added.

Umar Media is controlled by a faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan led by Maulana Fazlullah of Pakistan’s Swat valley.

Fazullah is said to be in hiding, somewhere in Afghanistan.

TTP contains a mix of militants from Pakistani Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), among other groups.

Muawiya's video threat when translated says that he is calling on Muslim youths to take as their ideal the "youths of Benghazi".

The American diplomatic mission in the Libyan city was attacked on Sept 11, 2012 by a heavily armed group. The formidable attack left four people killed, including US Ambassador J Christopher Stevens and many injured.

"Just as they assaulted and destroyed the American Embassy (in Benghazi), destroy the embassies of Europe. Destroy all their embassies on the soil of Pakistan, on the soil of India, on the soil of Bangladesh, on the soil of the Arabian Peninsula. Do not sit in peace until these white and black infidels, the enemies of our Prophet [Muhammad] are present in your lands....," his message translates.

Muawiya’s viability is found in the fact he had forced Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, faced with a threat signed by him, postponed the scheduled hanging of three top militants in mid-August, the ANI further said.

Pakistan was scheduled to execute three top militants on Aug 20, 21, and 22, but the threat issued by the TTP said that the executions would be perceived as a declaration of war.

According to a media report, the three terrorists who were scheduled to be executed are: Attaullah, Mohammad Azam and Jalal.

All three are said to be affiliated to the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), the military wing of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.