Washington, DC – The United States on Tuesday reiterated its offer of millions of dollars for information to bring to book the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which 166 people, including six (6) US citizens were massacred.
“The United States has offered up to a reward of up to $10 million since 2012 for information that brings Hafiz Saeed to justice for his crimes,” a State Department Spokesperson told IAT.
Hafiz Saeed, the founder of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) was released from house arrest in November last year due to “lack of evidence.” Since then, Saeed has been actively pursuing a political career and announced he will contest in next general elections scheduled for 2018 under the banner of the newly formed Milli Muslim League party (MML).
Asked to comment on the ongoing open activities of Saeed and his new role with MML, the State Department Spokesperson said, “Our position has not changed.”
Mincing no words, the spokesperson added, “Hafiz Saeed is still listed by the UN Security Council 1267 al-Qa’ida Sanctions Committee for targeted sanctions due to his affiliation with the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT).”
In May 2008, the US Department of the Treasury named Saeed a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. After the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, Saeed was also individually designated by the UN. In addition to LeT, Saeed also launched the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) and its charity front Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), and now the political party MML.
A recent conference at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Geneva also lambasted Pakistan’s military establishment for its attempts to remodel proscribed terrorist groups as political entities. Citing the case of the state remaining a mute spectator to attempts by Saeed led JuD to float the MML and contest parliamentary polls, the conference drew the attention of the international community to this dangerous development which poses a threat to the entire subcontinent and beyond.
Tejinder Singh, Editor, India America Today & White House Correspondent