A top US military official says the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba militant group, predominately a threat to India, is fast expanding operations to other South Asian countries including Sri Lanka.According to a PTI report Admiral Robert Willard, Commander of the US Pacific Command in his testimony before the US Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday has said that that the group is expanding in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

"Right now our concern is the movement of Lashkar-e-Toiba, the terrorist group that emanates from Pakistan that was responsible for the Mumbai attacks in India, and specifically their positioning in Bangladesh and Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka," Willard said in response to a question from Senator George Lemieux. 

He said the US was working "very closely with the Indians" and within to develop the necessary plans to counter LeT and its movement into the Asia-Pacific region. 

Asked specifically if the LeT is a regional threat or a threat to India, Willard said as of now Lashkar is predominately a threat to India. 

"And we have certainly knowledge of their influence within the region beyond the countries that I just mentioned. The extent of that influence is what we're taking under study," he said.