Kolkata, Dec. 11 : The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, has warned that in the wake of last month's terror strikes in Mumbai, Pakistan-based terrorists pose a greater global threat than was previously estimated.

Stating that the November 26-29 attacks showed that Pakistan-based groups were able to operate at a "much higher level" than previously estimated, Admiral Mullen said now more than ever, there was an urgent need for raising the quality of counter-terrorism efforts.

The Telegraph quotes the Washington-based SITE Intelligence Group as saying that the US, UK and Israel is being lumped with India as enemies that should be made to suffer.

Security officials worldwide have sounded the alarm about copycat attacks.

David Cohen, the head of intelligence for the New York Police Department, told the Wall Street Journal that Mumbai showed that propaganda was translating into direct action.

He said: "It puts us on notice in a much more clear and direct way."

The United Nations Security Council issued formal sanctions notices on four members of L-e-T and named an Islamic charity as one of its front organisations.

Zaki ur-Rehman Lakhvi, identified by India as the senior plotter of the attack, and Lashkar's founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, were among the four men listed for sanctions, including an asset freeze and travel ban, according to the U. S. State Department.

The Security Council's al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee, acting after requests from India and the U. S., described the Pakistan-based charity Jamaat ud-Dawa as an alias for Lashkar-e-Taiba. (ANI)