Author: Express News Service
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: July 3, 2009
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-sanctions-pak-lashkar-man-cites-his-samjhauta-blast-link/484480/0
The United States has imposed sanctions on
four Pakistan-based terrorists including a Lashkar-e-Toiba operative accused
in the 2007 Samjhauta blasts and 2006 Mumbai train bombings, freezing their
assets and travel in the US.
Arif Qasmani, chief coordinator and fundraiser
for the Lashkar, and three others - Ameen Al-Peshawari, Yahya Mujahid and
Nasir Javaid - can't enter into financial transactions in the US, or with
a US national.
The US action came two days after the four
men were banned by the UN under Resolution 1267, also known as the Al Qaeda
and Taliban Sanctions Committee. The UN ban makes it obligatory for all member
nations to freeze funds and assets of proscribed individuals and impose a
ban on their travel.
"The designated individuals have provided
direct support to Al Qaeda and LeT and... facilitated terrorist attacks, including
the July 2006 train bombing in Mumbai," said a statement from the US
Treasury Department.
Qasmani is known to have links with Dawood
Ibrahim, one of India's most wanted criminals now based in Pakistan. The statement
said part of the money he received from Dawood was used to finance the train
bombings in which close to 200 people were killed.
Qasmani is also said to have provided financial
and other support to Al Qaeda leaders, facilitated their movement in and out
of Afghanistan, and provided them with weapons and supplies. In return, Al
Qaeda provided Qasmani with operatives to support the Mumbai bombings and
the Samjhauta attack, the statement said.
Yahya Mujahid is Lashkar's main spokesperson,
and the group's media contact. He issued statements on behalf of Lashkar after
the Parliament attack in 2001 and last year's terror strikes in Mumbai.
Nasir Javaid is an LeT commander who also
trains its cadres.
Ameen Al-Peshawari has recruited fighters
and suicide bombers for Al Qaeda, and raised funds and acquired equipment
for militants in Afghanistan, the statement said.
"The United States and the United Nations
have both targeted these four individuals for supporting Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
Threats to global security require a global response, and we are gratified
to be standing shoulder to shoulder with the UN Security Council as we cut
these terrorist supporters off from the international financial system,"
said Adam Szubin, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the
US Treasury Department.
In a separate, positive development for India,
the US has carved out an India Desk at its National Security Council. Russia
is the only other country to be treated in this manner. A senior director
at the NSC will handle Washington's strategic relations with New Delhi.
"We have recently done a slight restructuring
of the National Security Council whereby Donald Camp has been appointed to
be the Senior Director exclusively for India, because we want to put focus
on that relationship," NSC spokesman Mike Hammer told PTI.
