Lt-Gen Francis Kearney, deputy commander, US Special Operations Command, told the Senate Committee on Armed Services that while the United States was taking steps to prevent a terrorist attack in the homeland, it also worried about terrorists stirring troubles elsewhere.

“One of our key pillars (is) that something spurs up as a result of a Lashkar-e-Taiba, you know, as they continue to try and trigger some kind of impact between Pakistan and India in the region,” he said.

“And so it’s keeping an eye on the ball forward as we protect the ball here at home.”

Speaking before the committee on US strategy for countering violent extremism, Gen Kearney said the militants also had the capability to get people into the United States and “use tools here that exist that you don’t need to smuggle in worries me, industrial accidents.”

The general, however, warned that he also worried “very much” about trans-regional actors who can cause eruptions in their region, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Senator Bill Nelson, the committee’s chairman, noted that although nine years had passed since the Sept 11, 2001, attack, the United States was still engaged in this fight with Al Qaeda, and now with its associated groups, particularly in the Afghan-Pakistan region.

From its bases in the Pak-Afghan region, Al Qaeda had spread its tentacles to Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and other regions as well, he observed.

“They still have the capability of launching attacks, and they can launch them from many different places in the world,” the senator warned.

Senator Nelson pointed out that the threat of violent extremism was complex and had the ability to destabilise countries and create economic crisis.

Senator Jack Reid, another senior member of the committee, however, noted that the Obama administration’s new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan was “getting strong convergence” with America’s allies, particularly in Nato, who now strongly support Washington’s policy in that region.

“At the same time, the enemy is significant, agile and adaptive. I would say the enemy has maximised the use of global technology and global information tools to his great advantage. The radicalisation process has been accelerated,” he warned.

“They have really improved their ability to radicalise people and bring them into the fight, which, of course, severely hampers our ability to disrupt and get ourselves involved in the process.”