Pak court indicts Hafiz Saeed on terror financing charges
LAHORE: Hafiz Saeed, the Mumbai terror attack mastermind and chief of the banned JUD, was indicted on Wednesday by a Pakistani anti-terrorism court here on terror financing charges, amidst intense international pressure on Islamabad to bring him to justice.
The anti-terrorism court (ATC) Lahore indicted Saeed and three of his top aides Hafiz Abdul Salam bin Muhammad, Muhammad Ashraf and Zafar Iqbal.
ATC judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta directed the prosecution to produce the witnesses and adjourned t he hearing t i l l Thursday. Saeed, 69, along with the other accused, were presented before the court under security.
“Deputy prosecutor general Punjab Abdur Rauf, pleading for framing the charges against the accused said Saeed and othe r s a r e i nvol ve d i n t e r r o r financing case and the counter terrorism department of Punjab police has presented evidence for it,” the official said.
Saeed’s indictment comes amid growing international pressure on Pakistan to rein in terror groups operating from its soil and bring to justice terror group leaders like Saeed.
In October, the Financial Action Task Force ( FATF) warned Pakistan that it will be blacklisted if it does not control terror funding by February next, voicing serious concern over the country’s failure to deliver on most of its 27 targets.
The Paris-based i nternational terror financing watchdog issued the warning to Pakistan while deciding to again place the country on the ‘Grey List’. While asking Pakistan to complete its full action plan by F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 0 , t h e F ATF warned that it would take action against the country.
The threat to Pakistan’s economy put the country’s machinery into an aggressive mode to show tangible progress within two months of the warning, Dawn newspaper noted.
On the 11th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attack, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it is an affront to the 166 innocent victims and their families that the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack have still not been convicted.
Asked about Mumbai terror attacks trial in Pakistan at a briefing on December 6, India’s e x t e r nal a f f a i r s minis t r y spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “We all know who the perpetrators of the attack were. We all know who the mastermind is. We are also aware that the mastermind of this attack is roaming freely, he is enjoying Pakistan’s hospitality...now it is the responsibility of Pakistan to take action.”
The counter terrorism department of Punjab Police on Jul y 1 7 r e g i s t e r e d 2 3 FI Rs against Saeed and his accomplices on the charges of “terror financing” in different cities of Punjab province and arrested Saeed.
The cases have been registered in Lahore, Gujranwala and Multan for collection of funds for terrorism financing through assets/properties made and held in the names of Trusts/ Non Profit Organisations (NPO) including Al-anfaal Trust, Dawatul Irshad Trust, Muaz Bin Jabal Trust.
Investigation was launched into financing matters of proscribed organisations in connection with implementation of UN sanctions against these Designated Entities & Persons as directed by the National Security Committee in its meeting on January 1, 2019 for implementing the National Action Plan.
“These suspects made assets from funds of terrorism financing. They held and used these assets to raise more funds for further terrorism financing. Hence, they committed multiple offences of terrorism financing and money laundering. They will be prosecuted in ATCS for commission of these offences,” the CTD said.
But the JUD leaders deny the charges. The US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the US, since 2012, has offered a USD 10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.
Saeed-led JUD is the front organisation for the LET which is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people, including six Americans.