Current Affairs

Issue

Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the chief of the Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) was sentenced to 32 years by an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan.

 

Background

The sentencing was carried out in two new terror financing cases that were registered by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).

 

Details

• Previously, Saeed has been sentenced to 32 years in prison in connection with five other terror financing cases. His sentences will run concurrently.

• Saeed was earlier found guilty by Pakistan court in two terror financing cases and was sentenced to five years in prison. 

 

Reasons for actions

• Pakistan is trying to convince terror watch-dog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that it is acting to keep a check on terror financing.

• LeT and its charitable wing JuD are among the major propagators of terror not only in Pakistan but also in surrounding regions.

 

Hafiz Saeed

• Hafiz Saeed is the founder and leader of the terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which follows Ahle-Hadith interpretation of Islam.

• The goals of the organization include conducting Jihad in the way of Allah, preaching the true religion and training the new generation along true Islamic lines.

 

Terror involvement

• Saeed is accused of being the mastermind of 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, the 2001 Parliament Attack and the Uri attack in 2016.

• The US State Department offered a bounty of up to $10 million on Saeed to ensure his faster extradition. He is a Specially Designated Global Terrorist since 2012.

 

Cases against Saeed

• He was arrested for raising funds for JuD, which was violation of UN sanctions. He has been booked in cases for terror financing and money laundering.

• His organization was accused of financing terrorism by collecting funds from various non-profit organisations and international Islamist charities.

• The LeT is capable of raising funds from countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Gulf and Maldives apart from domestic business of selling animal hides to tanneries.

 

Actions by Pakistani authorities

• The Pakistani Army and ISI are actively involved in raising funds for LeT and other terror groups. The cases against Saeed are just for media coverage.

• His arrest is used mainly for demonstrating that Pakistan is doing enough to counter terror financing.  Till today, he enjoys security from Pakistan state.