The Lashkar-e-Tayiba has again threatened to launch suicide attacks in India and target, among others, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, reports from Pakistan said.

Pakistani weekly The Friday Times quoted Lashkar chief Hafeez Mohammed Sayeed's taped speech, played at a mosque in Rawalpindi, as saying: "Listen, O [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee! We are about to unleash a spate of suicide attacks. I have ordered my warriors to undertake this duty."

The Lashkar also said that the days of Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani are numbered, the weekly reported.

In yet another sign of continued failure of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to rein in the terrorists, Sayeed said in his speech: "Listen, O Musharraf! We shall not submit to you or your government... we will not allow you to besmirch jihad..."

The speech, which was in clear violation of law, did not spare the US ambassador to Pakistan. "We cannot tolerate the unholy presence of Nancy Powell... Pakistan should cleanse itself of her unholy existence."