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US asks Pakistan to hold Hafiz Saeed accountable for 2008 Mumbai attacks

US officials also added that Pakistan should proactively step up to take appropriate legal action against individuals who raise funds for terror.

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The United States has asked Pakistan to hold Jama'at-ud-Da'wah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed accountable for "numerous acts of terrorism, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks" and called for appropriate measures to be taken against terror financing.

"We continue to call for Hafiz Saeed to be held accountable for his involvement in the planning of numerous acts of terrorism, including 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 innocent people, including 6 Americans," a US State Department spokesperson told news agency ANI.

The official also said that Saeed's conviction on charges of terror financing is an important step towards curtailing terror operations that threaten peace and stability in South Asia, adding that Pakistan should proactively step up to take appropriate legal action against individuals who raise funds for terror.

"We urge Pakistan to continue to take appropriate legal action against individuals who commit acts of terrorism, raise funds for, or advocate for terrorism," the official added.

Alice Wells, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US for South and Central Asian Affairs, had on Wednesday tweeted in this regard, calling the conviction of Saeed an "important step forward" toward holding terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) "accountable for its crimes" and for Pakistan in meeting international commitments to combat terror financing.

 

 

Hafiz Saeed is a Pakistani terrorist widely believed to have been involved in several infamous terror instances, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He is also the co-founder of LeT and chief of JuD, based mainly in Pakistan.

A Pakistani court on Wednesday sentenced Saeed to 11 years' prison in two cases relating to terror financing.

The sentencing of Saeed came just four days ahead of a meeting of global anti-terror watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris to review Pakistan's compliance of an action plan prescribed by it to contain terror groups in the country.

Last year, the FATF asked Pakistan to fully implement its anti-terror action plan by February 2020 or face severe action. Pakistan was already kept under the "grey list" of countries by the FATF for failing to contain terror financing.

Indian government sources said it is part of a long-pending international obligation of Pakistan to put an end to support for terrorism and that efficacy of Saeed's sentencing remained to be seen.

"The decision has been made on the eve of the FATF Plenary meeting, which has to be noted. Hence, the efficacy of this decision remains to be seen," an official source said elaborating on the government's assessment of the action.

The sources said it's also to be seen whether Pakistan would take action against all other terrorist entities and individuals operating from territories under its control.

India has been pressing Pakistan to take action against all those involved in cross-border terror attacks including the Mumbai and Pathankot attacks.

It has to be seen whether Pakistan brings perpetrators of cross border terrorist attacks, including in Mumbai and Pathankot to justice expeditiously, the sources said.

 

(With PTI inputs)

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