The top members of the U.S. congressional intelligence committees on Friday urged the Obama administration to immediately name the Pakistani-based Haqqani Network a terrorist organization.

"It was clear that the Haqqani Network continues to launch sensational and indiscriminate attacks against U.S. interests in Afghanistan and the group poses a continuing threat to innocent men, women, and children in the region," the members wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"We understand there may have been reluctance within the Administration to designate the Haqqani Network while Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman attempted to negotiate a reconciliation agreement with the Taliban -- a deal that may have included or affected the Haqqani Network. However, Ambassador (Ryan) Crocker told us last week that there have been no such talks since late last year, and that President Karzai has opposed their continuation," the letter said.

The letter was signed by Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein and ranking member Saxby Chambliss and by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and ranking member Dutch Ruppersberger.

They just paid a visit to Afghanistan last week and met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and U.S. officials there.

Last September, Chairman of U.S. Joint Chief of Staff Mike Mullen publicly accused Pakistan of backing the Haqqani network and exporting violence to Afghanistan. In the same month, U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton said Washington was in final review on decision to designate the Haqqani network as a terrorist organization.

Since then, the United States has imposed sanctions on the commander of the group. But Washington has not yet designated Haqqani as a terrorist organization as the Obama administration was trying to negotiate with the Taliban.