Washington, DC – The United States on Sunday (Nov. 25) reacted with a statement of solidarity with the people of India and announced a new reward of “up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of any individual who committed, conspired to commit, or aided or abetted in the execution of the 2008 Mumbai attack.”
From November 26 to 29, 2008, ten individuals associated with the terrorist group Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT) carried out a series of coordinated assaults against multiple targets in Mumbai, India. The attack resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six Americans. November 26 this year marks the tenth anniversary of the deadly attack.
In the statement titled, “In Remembrance of the Mumbai Attacks,” Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State expressed his “solidarity with the people of India and the city of Mumbai on the 10th anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attack.” “We stand with the families and friends of the victims, whose loved ones were lost in this act of barbarism, including six American citizens. The barbarity of 26/11 shocked the entire world,” the Secretary said.
Without mincing words, the Secretary called on Pakistan to bring to justice the dreaded masterminds of the gruesome attacks, saying: “We call upon all countries, particularly Pakistan, to uphold their UN Security Council obligations to implement sanctions against the terrorists responsible for this atrocity, including Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and its affiliates,” noting, “It is an affront to the families of the victims that, after ten years, those who planned the Mumbai attack have still not been convicted for their involvement.”
Announcing millions of dollars in award money, the Secretary stressed, “The United States is committed to seeing that those responsible for this attack face justice. The Department of State Rewards for Justice (RFJ) Program is offering a new reward for up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of any individual who was involved in planning or facilitating the 2008 Mumbai attack.”
Commenting on the efforts, the US administration is making to pursue these culprits, Puneet Ahluwalia, Member Trump Asian Pacific Advisory Committee told IAT, “President (Donald) Trump and Secretary Pompeo have actively pursued taking strong action against terrorist and states which promotes these acts and actors.”
Terming the new reward of up to $5 million as a “clear message that there will accountability and justice for actions,” Ahluwalia noted, “The US-India relationship has gotten stronger under President Trump’s leadership. The people of India and S Asia region have a great ally in the United States.”
“The Mumbai Terror attack 10 years ago – was everything evil and devoid of a soldier’s honor. Indeed, that Terror attack singled out Americans and Israelis in addition to The Taj. That 6 Americans died was an evil syntax of that Terror Attack – something that has caused Pakistan much geopolitical indigestion,” said Ravi Batra, Indian American attorney.
Reward Offer for Information
on the 2008 Mumbai Attack
Earlier, the US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) Program announced a “reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of any individual who committed, conspired to commit, or aided or abetted in the execution of the 2008 Mumbai attack.”
The latest announcement marked the third RFJ reward offer seeking information on the perpetrators of the Mumbai attack. In April 2012, the Department of State announced reward offers for information that brings to justice LeT founder Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and Hafiz Abdul Rahman Makki, another senior LeT leader. In December 2001, the Department of State designated LeT as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. In May 2005, the United Nations (UN) 1267 Sanctions Committee added LeT to the Consolidated UN Security Council Sanctions List.
Tejinder Singh, Editor, India America Today & White House Correspondent