Bombing Pakistan ‘necessary action’: India

India today said its aerial strikes on terror camps in Pakistan was "absolutely necessary" in view of the "imminent dangers" of new suicide attacks in India for which Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed was preparing.

"Very credible intelligence was received that Jaish-e-Mohammed was attempting more suicide terror attacks in various parts of the country and Fidayeen jihadis were being trained for this purpose," our New Delhi correspondent quotes Foreign Secretary Vijay K Gokhale as saying.

"India has given proof many times to Pakistan seeking action against Jaish e Mohammed and others at terror camps so big that they can train hundreds of jihadis and terrorists at any given time. But due to Pakistan's inaction, this step was necessary and had to be taken," he said after attending a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Gokhale said that "in an intelligence-led operation, India targeted the biggest terror training camp Jaish-e-Mohammed was running in Balakot across the Line of Control", the de facto border between India and Pakistan.

He said a large number of terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis planning terror strikes were eliminated in the aerial strikes.

He said the selection of the target for the "non-military pre-emptive action" was specifically targeted at Jaish camp in Balakot.The terror-training facility was located in a thick forest on a hill top far away from civilian areas, the Indian Foreign Secretary added.

The terror camp in Balakot was the biggest run by Jaish and it was headed by Maulana Yousuf Azhar, brother-in-law of the terror outfit's founder Masood Azhar, Gokhale said. The terror camp in Balakot was so big that it can train hundreds of jihadists, he added.

He said Jaish has been very active in Pakistan for the last two decades and India had repeatedly urged Pakistan to act against the infrastructure of terrorism on its territory. Such infrastructure could not have been there without the knowledge of the government of Pakistan which, however, did not take any action against the terror camps.