Pakistan Holds Global Terrorist Hafiz Saeed Guilty Of Terror Financing As FATF Pressure Mounts

In a major development coming from Pakistan, the Islamic republic's Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has submitted before a court that the Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) Hafiz Saeed is guilty of 'terror financing,' reports Indian Express.

The development comes amidst rising pressure from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to act against the terror outfits operating from Pakistan.

According to the report, Pakistan has lodged 23 cases against Saeed, who was arrested on 17 July and was lodged at the Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore, for collection of funds through terror financing through assets or properties in the names of trusts or non-profit organisations. Besides Saeed, cases has also been lodged against a dozen members of his group.

Saeed, who was banned in December 2008 by United Nations Security Council following the Mumbai terror attack, was presented before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) amid high security on Wednesday (7 August). A Punjab CTD official reportedly said that the department had submitted a challan in the ATC declaring Saeed guilty of terror financing.

The CTD had on 1 and 2 July registered 23 cases against the leadership of JuD (Jamat ud Dawa), LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba) & FIF (Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation) for making assets from terror financing through the following trusts and non-profit organisations: Dawat ul Irshad Trust, Muaz Bin Jabal Trust, Al-Anfaal Trust, Al Hamd Trust and Al Madina Foundation Trust.