LAHORE: A court in Pakistan has sentenced to prison three leaders of Jamat-ud-Dawa, an organization accused by India and the United States of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.
The sentencing comes ahead of a September deadline for Pakistan to avoid being blacklisted for failing to curb terror financing by global financial watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
Inclusion on the blacklist, alongside Iran and North Korea, would mean being shunned by international financial institutions. The watchdog has called for Pakistan to prosecute those funding terrorism, as well as to enact laws to help track and stop terror financing.
Malik Zafar Iqbal and Abdul Salam were each handed 16-1/2 year total sentences on four charges, to be served concurrently, while a third man, Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki, got 1-1/2 years on one charge, according to a court judgment seen by Reuters.
The men were associates of Hafiz Saeed, who was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison in February. All the sentences are concurrent so Saeed, Iqbal and Salam will serve five years.
Saeed founded and led Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or the Army of the Pure, a group blamed by India and the United States for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 160 people, including Americans and other foreigners.
Saeed and his associates also face a further slew of cases for allegedly financing militant activities, while Iqbal and Makki have already been convicted in several cases.
Saeed says his network, which spans 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services, has no ties to militant groups. Jamat-ud-Dawa funds the militant wing LeT.
A 2011 US sanctions designation describes Iqbal as a co-founder of LeT and in charge of its financing activities. Salam is described as the interim leader of the group during the brief periods when Saeed was arrested in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, and running its network of seminaries.
Pakistan jails three accused of financing Mumbai attacks
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Pakistan jails three accused of financing Mumbai attacks
- The men were associates of Hafiz Saeed, who was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison in February
- The sentencing comes ahead of the Financial Action Task Force's September deadline for Pakistan
Pakistan condemns Netanyahu’s ‘hexagon of alliances’ plan, says alert to growing India-Israel defense ties
- Israel’s Netanyahu last week proposed an alliance of countries in and around Middle East against its adversaries
- Pakistan maintains “robust military preparedness” to deter any potential aggression, says foreign office spokesperson
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Thursday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statement about forming a “hexagon of alliances” within or around the Middle East, saying Islamabad was alert to growing defense ties between New Delhi and Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu on Sunday outlined plans to form a new regional bloc, describing it as a “hexagon of alliances” that he said could include Israel, India, Greece and Cyprus, along with other unnamed Arab, African and Asian states. He said the grouping would collectively stand against what he described as “radical” adversaries.
His comments came days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day trip to bolster ties. The two are expected to discuss cooperation in science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, technology, defense and security during the trip.
The statement drew a sharp response from Pakistan’s Senate, which unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday rejecting Netanyahu’s remarks.
“I would also like to draw your attention to the recent resolution adopted by the Senate of Pakistan that strongly condemned such remarks and attempts to undermine Muslim unity,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters during a weekly press briefing.
“We continue to condemn these provocative steps and statements by the leadership of the occupying power that threaten regional peace and stability,” he added.
Netanyahu had also said Israel’s goal was to create an axis of nations that see eye to eye against what he described as the “radical Shia” and “radical Sunni” axis of nations.
Andrabi said attempts to divide the Muslim world along sectarian lines were a “nefarious design” on Netanyahu’s part.
India is Israel’s largest arms buyer and second-largest trading partner in Asia, after China. In response to a question on India’s growing defense ties with Israel, Andrabi said Pakistan remained cognizant of the risks posed by such cooperation.
“Yes, we remain seized of the defense ties between Israel and India,” the spokesperson said, noting that certain “systems and platforms” may have been used by India against Pakistan in the past.
“We are alive to the threats they pose to our security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to regional peace and stability.”
Andrabi said Pakistan maintained “robust military preparedness” to deter any potential aggression from hostile forces.
‘UTMOST CAUTION EXERCISED’
Andrabi spoke about Pakistan’s recent strikes against alleged militant camps in Afghanistan, saying Islamabad had conducted them in self-defense and with extreme caution to avoid casualties.
Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan against militant camps and hideouts in three provinces on Saturday night, killing over 100 militants. Afghanistan accused Pakistan of violating its territorial sovereignty and killing dozens of civilians. Kabul has vowed to retaliate.
Andrabi said the strikes were carried out to ensure protection for the lives of the people of Pakistan and to prevent “imminent terrorist attacks.”
“These actions were directed solely against identified terrorist camps and hideouts, and utmost caution was exercised to prevent harm to civilians,” he said.
He warned Pakistan would take necessary measures under its right to self-defense against “terrorist threats” emanating from Afghan territory.
On the safety of Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan following the strikes, Andrabi said Islamabad had raised the issue with Afghan authorities, adding that Islamabad expected “foolproof security” for Pakistani diplomats and civilians.
