Mumbai attack mastermind and LeT operations commander Lakhvi arrested in Pakistan
Lahore: Mumbai attack mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operations commander Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was arrested on Saturday in Pakistan on terror financing charges, according to an official statement, amidst growing international pressure on Islamabad to bring to justice terrorists roaming free in the country.
UN proscribed terrorist Lakhvi, who was on bail since 2015 in the Mumbai attack case, was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab province.
However, the CTD did not reveal the place of his arrest.
"Following an intelligence-based operation conducted by the CTD Punjab, proscribed organisation LeT leader Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was arrested on charges of terrorism financing, the CTD said in an official statement.
It further said that Lakhvi, 61, was arrested in a case of terrorism financing registered in a police station of CTD Lahore.
"Lakhvi is accused of running a dispensary, using funds collected for terrorism financing. He and others also collected funds from this dispensary and used these funds for further terrorism financing. He also used these funds for personal expenses," the CTD said.
The CTD said that in addition to belonging to proscribed organisation LeT, Lakhvi is also a UN designated individual.
"His trial will be held before the Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore," it added.
Lakhvi was designated as a global terrorist by the UN in December 2008 for being associated with LeT and al-Qaeda and for participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf or in support of both the entities.
Proscribed terrorists and entities are subject to an assets freeze, wherein all states are required to freeze funds and other financial assets or economic resources of designated individuals and entities, a travel ban that prevents the entry into or transit through nations' territories by the designated individuals and an arms embargo.
Last month, the UN Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee allowed for a monthly payment of Pakistani Rupee 1.5 lakh for Lakhvi to meet his personal expenses.
The LeT, led by Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, including six Americans.
The global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is instrumental in pushing Pakistan to take measures against terrorists roaming freely in Pakistan and using its territory to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere.
The Paris-based FATF placed Pakistan on the Grey List in June 2018 and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action to curb money laundering and terror financing by the end of 2019 but the deadline was extended later on due to COVID-19 pandemic.
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Govt extends ban imposed on LTTE for 5 years
New Delhi (PTI): The Centre on Tuesday extended the ban imposed on the LTTE by five more years for fostering a separatist tendency amongst the masses and enhancing the support base for it in the country, particularly in Tamil Nadu, besides threatening the territorial integrity of India.
The Union Home Ministry imposed the ban invoking the sub-sections (1) and (3) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
In a notification, the home ministry noted that the LTTE is an association based in Sri Lanka but has supporters, sympathisers and agents in the territory of India.
The central government is of the opinion that the LTTE is still indulging in activities which are prejudicial to the integrity and security of the country.
It said that even after its military defeat in May, 2009 in Sri Lanka, the LTTE has not abandoned the concept of 'Eelam' (an independent country for Tamils) and has been clandestinely working towards the 'Eelam' cause by undertaking fund raising and propaganda activities and the remnant LTTE leaders or cadres have also initiated efforts to regroup the scattered activists and resurrect the outfit locally and internationally.
"The pro-LTTE groups/elements continue to foster a separatist tendency amongst the masses and enhance the support base for LTTE in India and particularly in Tamil Nadu, which will ultimately have a strong disintegrating influence over the territorial integrity of India," the notification said.
The home ministry said the group's objective for a separate homeland (Tamil Eelam) for all Tamils threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, and amounts to cession and secession of a part of the territory of India from the Union and thus falls within the ambit of unlawful activities.
LTTE sympathisers living abroad continue to spread anti-India propaganda among Tamils holding India responsible for the defeat of the LTTE, which, if not checked, is likely to develop a sense of hate among Tamil populace towards the central government and the Indian Constitution, it said.
Despite the ban, the activities of pro-LTTE organisations and individuals have come to notice and, attempts have been made by these forces to extend their support to the LTTE, the ministry said.
LTTE leaders, operatives and supporters have been inimically opposed to India's policy on their organisation and action of the state machinery in curbing their activities, the notification said.
Cases have been registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, against LTTE, pro-LTTE groups or elements since the last ban on the group five years ago and that indicate that LTTE and its remnant cadres, followers and supporters are involved in various criminal activities, including smuggling of illegal drugs, arms for furtherance of objective of the outfit.
The activities of the LTTE continue to pose a threat to, and are detrimental to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India as also to the public order and, it should be declared as an unlawful association, the home ministry said.
As the LTTE continues with its disruptive, separatist and secessionist activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity and sovereignty of India and its strong anti-India posture posing a grave threat to the security of Indian nationals, it is necessary to declare LTTE as an unlawful association with immediate effect.
The LTTE was formed in 1976 and emerged as one of the most lethal terrorist group over the years.
India had banned the LTTE after the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Since then, the ban imposed on the group has been extended every five years.
The terror organisation had suffered a military defeat in 2009 in Sri Lanka following the killing of its chief Velupillai Prabhakaran.
