Washington, May 11
Pakistani commando-turned dreaded global terrorist Mohammad Illyas Kashmiri, who is linked to multiple terror plots including a series of planned “Mumbai style” attacks in key European cities, could succeed Osama bin Laden as the chief of Al-Qaida.

Illyas Kashmiri, who is on the most wanted list of the FBI, may succeed bin Laden as Ayman al-Zawahri the “presumed” successor, is deeply unpopular in some circles and his elevation is by no means guaranteed, NBC reported quoting a senior US official.

The CIA has targeted him in drone attacks in northwest Pakistan and federal prosecutors have indicted him in a major terrorism case involving a Chicago businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who goes on trial next week, the channel said.

Rana is charged with providing cover for a Pakistani-born American terrorist, David Coleman Headley, who has confessed to conducting surveillance for the Mumbai terror attacks and plotting with Kashmiri to blow up a Danish newspaper in retaliation for its publication of cartoons of the prophet Muhammad.

The Pakistani former commando, who has been linked to multiple terror plots - including a series of planned “Mumbai style” attacks in European cities last summer, according to US officials. Kashmiri, according to US officials, was the key figure behind a suspected plot for multiple attacks in European cities, patterned after the 2008 Mumbai terror strike.

In April this year, the US has announced a bounty of $5 million on the head of Kashmiri. He was at one point a member of the Pakistani military, serving as a commando in a Special Services Group that was once tasked with training Afghan mujahedeen to fight the Soviets.

He was later reassigned to train militants against India, but broke from the Pakistani army and joined a terrorist group — called Harakat-ul Jihad-i-Islami, or HUJI — that has been closely aligned with Al-Qaida. — PTI

“No decision has been taken yet,” said a security official on condition of anonymity. — TNS

Tripoli, May 11
Libyan rebels were reported to have taken control of Misrata airport on Wednesday after heavy fighting with forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, while a United Nations call for a ceasefire was rejected.

A correspondent for the Qatar-based Al Jazeera television, speaking from Benghazi, quoted a rebel spokesman as saying: “The rebels have taken complete control of the airport about half an hour ago”. There was no independent confirmation.

The rebels are fighting to end Gaddafi's 41 years in power but the war has reached stalemate with Gaddafi in control of the capital and almost all of the west of the country while rebels control Benghazi and other towns in the oil-producing east.

Misrata is the only major city the rebels hold in the west and for eight weeks Gaddafi's forces have besieged it leading to fierce fighting in which hundreds have been killed. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Wednesday for an “immediate, verifiable ceasefire” in Libya, but rebels fighting in western Libya dismissed the idea.

“We don't trust Gaddafi ... This is not the time for a ceasefire because he never respects it,” said rebel spokesman Zintan Abdulrahman over telephone from Zintan in the western mountains region. “He bombards civilians immediately after his regime speaks of willingness to observe a ceasefire,” Abdulrahman said, adding that Gaddafi's forces fired 20-25 Grad missiles at rebels, killing one and wounding three others. — Reuters 

The key international issues like anti-terror combat, regional security and cooperation at the regional and international fora like Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and Islamic Conference are expected to be discussed tomorrow at Zardari's talks with President Dmitry Medvedev at the Kremlin summit. As cracks appear in the US-Pakistan alliance, Zardari might seek closer alliance with Russia, Sergei Strokan South Asia analyst of prestigious Kommersant daily believes. — PTI 

BRIEFLY

Assange awarded top Sydney peace prize
Melbourne: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been awarded the Sydney Peace Foundation's Gold Medal for “exceptional courage in the pursuit of human rights”. Although the Peace Prize is awarded annually by the foundation only three other people in its 14-year history have been awarded the gold award for courage in pursuit of human rights, the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela and Japanese Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda. — AFP

Three die in US university shooting
San jose: Authorities in California say a shooting inside a parking garage at San Jose State University left three persons dead, including the suspected gunman. Authorities do not believe last night's shooting was random although they have not released a possible motive. It's not clear whether the shooting victims and the suspect were students at the school. Their identities have not been released. — AP

84 more sentenced for BDR mutiny
dhaka: A paramilitary court on Wednesday jailed 84 more soldiers for different terms for their role in the 2009 mutiny at Bangladesh Rifles force, bringing the total number of sentenced rebel border guards to 2,088. The carnage at the paramilitary force killed 74 persons, including 57 army officers serving the frontier force. 23 of the convicts were handed down the highest seven years of jail term under the BDR Act while others were given lesser jail terms ranging from four months to six years. — PTI

World's longest sea-link bridge
Beijing: China has built the world's longest sea-link bridge that stretches to 41.58 km and links the port city of Qingdao to Huangdao district in the eastern part of the country. The Qingdao Bay bridge in Shandong province will open to automobiles in June, officials told Xinhua. Construction had begun in 2007. The bridge has so far cost nine billion yuan (around $1.4 billion). — IANS

Royal honeymoon in Seychelles?
Victoria: Residents in the tropical paradise where Prince William and Kate are reportedly honeymooning say they're proud to host the royal couple. British media said the pair jetted off to the Seychelles on Tuesday. Local newspaper splashed the headline: "Seychelles in the Honeymoonlight." A company that owns many exclusive, lush islands in remote locations has refused to give out any details of the honeymoon until it is over. — AP