US announces 10 mn reward on Hafiz

The US has announced a USD 10 million bounty on Pakistan-based Jamaat-ud-Dawa(JUD) chief Hafiz Saeed, a decision welcomed by India, which today hoped that this would prod Islamabad into taking action against the mastermind of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Late last night, the US Government announced an award of up to USD 10 million for information leading to arrest and conviction of Saeed and up to USD two million for his deputy Adbul Rahman Makki under the ‘Rewards for Justice programme’, for information on the two terrorists, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

"India welcomes the notification under the Rewards for Justice Programme. It reflects the commitment of India and the United States to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack to justice and continuing efforts to combat terrorism.

"It also sends a strong signal to Lashkar-e-Taiba as also its members and patrons that the international community remains united in combating terrorism," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told reporters here.

Asserting that there was enough material to detain and interrogate Saeed and that Pakistan was not "doing its duty", Home Minister P Chidambaram said US decision should prod Pakistan in taking action against him. "Pakistan can’t go through with this farce of a trial," he said.

The US maintains both LeT and JUD as foreign terrorist organisations and has also individually designated Saeed and Makki for terrorist activities under its law.

Sixty-one-year-old Saeed has become one of only four terrorist leaders for whom the US has offered a bounty of USD 10 million, joining the likes of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar. The only person with a higher bounty on his head than these four terrorist leaders is Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al- Zawahiri, for whom the US has put a reward of USD 25 million.

Chidambaram said the US decision will also help India in sharing information on Saeed and JuD with the American authorities.

Saeed, the brain behind the terror attack on Mumbai that left 166 dead, is "safely tucked away" somewhere in Pakistan, Krishna said, adding that US which keeps a tab on all these terrorists around the world, would have kept a tab on Saeed.

"I have always been insisting that he was the brain behind the terror attack on Mumbai. These terrorists and conspirators cannot be spared and they will have to be brought to justice and that is what we have been demanding from Pakistan," the External Affairs Minister said.

Krishna said in recent years, India and the US have deepened mutual understanding on the nature of terrorism challenges emanating from India’s neighbourhood.

India and the US agree that all terrorist organisations, including LeT, should be defeated and have called for elimination of terrorist safe havens and infrastructure inside Pakistan and Afghanistan, a statement by the MEA said.

It also said that yesterday, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman conveyed to Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai Washington’s intention to take additional steps to deal with terrorists like Saeed and Makki to which Mathai expressed New Delhi’s sincere appreciation.

The two countries have strengthened their counter- terrorism cooperation through the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism, Counter-terrorism Cooperation Initiative, the Homeland Security Dialogue and regular exchanges between intelligence and law enforcement agencies, MEA said.

Saeed has became one of only four terrorist leaders for whom the US has offered a bounty of USD 10 million, joining the likes of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar.

The only person with a higher bounty on his head than these four terrorist leaders is Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, for whom the US has offered a reward of USD 25 million under its Rewards for Justice programme.

Besides 61-year-old Saeed, the other terrorist leaders who carry a bounty of USD 10 million on their head are Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Du’a, one-eyed Mullah Omar and Yasin al-Suri alias Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil, a senior Al-Qaeda facilitator based in Iran.

The listing for Saeed on the Rewards for Justice website describes him as a former professor of Arabic and Engineering who was a founding member of "Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a radical Deobandi Islamist organisation dedicated to installing Islamist rule over parts of India and Pakistan, and its military branch, Lashkar-e-Taiba".

"Saeed is suspected of masterminding numerous terrorist attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six American citizens," the listing further states.

The website noted that India has issued an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Saeed for his role in the Mumbai attacks. Besides, the US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a "Specially Designated National under Executive Order 13224".

The Order provides a means to disrupt the financial support network for terrorists and terrorist groups by authorising the US government to designate and block the assets of foreign individuals and entities that commit, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism.

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Resolution on Kashmiri Pandits in US House

Pallone introduces resolution on Kashmiri Pandits in US House

Influential Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone has introduced a resolution in the US House of Representative recognising that the religious freedom and human rights violations of Kashmiri Pandits has been ongoing since 1989.

The resolution condemns the extremist violence, lack of religious freedom, and human rights violations committed against Kashmiri Pandits, which they have endured for more than two decades.

It also insists that terrorist infrastructure in the region must be dismantled and terrorists should be held accountable for their actions.

Noting that Kashmiri Pandits are the original inhabitants of Kashmir, tracing their heritage and culture back several millennia; the resolution says that Kashmiri Pandits have been the victims of documented human rights violations resulting in the severe curtailment of their religious freedom for more than two decades.

Stating that Kashmiri Pandit population has declined from 400,000 in 1989 to a current level of less than 4,000 in the Kashmir valley and many Pandits continue to live in refugee camps; the resolution observes that international human rights organisations have noted the campaign of intimidation and violence directed by foreign militants and foreign terrorist organizations against Kashmiri Pandits.

The resolution has been welcomed by the Hindu American Foundation (HAF).

“While too many policy makers in Washington D.C. Do little to highlight the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, Congressman Pallone has taken the lead in raising awareness about this critical matter,” said HAF’s director Samir Kalra.

“HAF is pleased that an issue it has pursued with Congressman Pallone’s help for several years has been introduced in the House again,” Kalra said.

“The introduction of H.Res. 387 is not only significant for Kashmiri Hindus and the Hindu American community, but also furthers America’s commitment to promoting religious freedom around the world,” continued Kalra.

Fai released on bond

Prominent Kashmiri separatist leader Ghulam Nabi Fai who was produced before a US court today has been released on US $100,000 bond.
Fai, who appeared before the US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia for a detention hearing today, was released into the custody of his wife and placed under home detention.
The FBI, which arrested Fai last week on charges of being an ISI agent who lobbied for Pakistan on the Kashmir issue in the US, had carried extensive search of his home in Fairfax, Virginia – a suburb of Washington – and the office of Kashmir American Council (KAC) in Washington, a few blocks away from the White House.
62-year-old Fai, headed KAC, which espoused the cause of Pakistan on Kashmir and campaigned against India in the US.
US Attorney Gordon Kromberg informed the Alexandria court and defence attorney that he "intends to offer into evidence" or even disclose in proceedings information obtained and derived from electronic surveillance and physical search conducted under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The FBI has alleged that Fai received money from the Government of Pakistan, the ISI in particular, to lobby on their behalf in the US.
FBI says he violated the law as he did not register himself or the KAC as registered agent for foreign government.
While neither the FBI nor the Department of Justice were willing to divulge any details of the material seized from his home and office.
However, it is learnt that federal agencies have obtained huge cache of material from Fai's residence and office which would strengthen its point that Fai worked for the foreign government in violation of the rule of the land.
US will not let Kashmiris down: Fai
Ghulam Nabi Fai, charged with illegally lobbying for Pakistan and its spy agency ISI to influence US policy on Kashmir, has said that people of Kashmir have no reason to fear from America.
"I say with fullest possible consciousness that the people of Kashmir have no reason to fear that the world powers in general, and the United States in particular, will let them down," Fai said in a written statement.
62-year-old Fai's attorney Khurram Wahid distributed copies of the written statement of the separatist Kashmiri leader after he was ordered to be released from prison and instead put under house arrest under electronic surveillance by a US District court judge.
"It has been my lifelong commitment to the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of their religious background and cultural affiliations to help achieve the right of self-determination to decide their future. God willing I will continue to do that in days, weeks, months and years to come," Fai said.
In the statement, Fai lauded the traditional support of the United States to the basic principles of fundamental freedoms and democratic process and President Barack Obama's vision about the region of South Asia.
Wahid said that the statement was prepared after the court's order of his house arrest.

Denial of visa to Jitendra Singh

Expressing resentment over the denial of US visa to a senior BJP leader from Jammu and Kashmir, the party today said separatists are getting easy visas whereas nationalist leaders are being denied the same and asked the Centre to spell out its stand on the issue.

"While the separatist leaders from Kashmir were promptly provided visas to travel to USA and other countries, the same were denied to nationalist leaders", said BJP spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, asking the Government to clear its stand on the issue.

The BJP has also decided to take up the issue at the highest level with the American Embassy as well as the Indian Government.

The BJP was outrageous after its national executive member and chief spokesperson for Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Jitendra Singh was denied visa and debarred from travelling to Washington as a member of the high profile eight-member BJP delegation to attend an interactive meet organised by "International Republican Institute" and Republican Party of America from June 20.

Hussain said this also raises a serious question mark on the functioning of Congress-led Government at the Centre and Congress-National Conference coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir which control the agencies providing inputs regarding leaders travelling abroad.

"Such incidents send wrong signals among the nationalistic and patriotic sections", said the BJP leader, adding that "We will not let the voice of patriotism get stifled".

Singh was to present the nationalist viewpoint on sensitive issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir, as well as India’s crucial foreign relations with Pakistan, China and other countries at the meet, claimed the BJP.

Accusing the Centre of being pro-separatist, Hussain said, "Such intimidatory tactics at the behest of separatist-friendly UPA would not discourage the BJP from stepping up its tirade against such forces".