US dubs previous arrests of Hafiz Saeed ‘window dressing’, says it made no difference


Team Udayavani, Jul 20, 2019, 8:43 AM IST

Washington: The Trump Administration on Friday expressed doubts over Pakistan’s intentions in arresting terrorist Hafiz Muhammed Saeed, the mastermind of the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2008 Mumbai attack, saying his previous arrests made no difference either to his activities or that of his outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“We’ve seen this happen in the past. And we have been looking for sustained and concrete steps, not just window dressing,” a senior administration official told reporters Friday, ahead of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the US next week.

Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist was arrested on Wednesday — the seventh times since December 2001, when he was nabbed in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament.

“Let me reassure you, we are clear-eyed about the history here. We’re under no illusions about the support that we could see from

Pakistan’s military intelligence services to these groups. So we will look for concrete action,” the official said when asked about the actions that Pakistan has taken against terrorist group and if the US believes in them.

“I noticed that Pakistan has taken some initial steps such as pledging to seize assets of some of these terrorist groups. And, of course, they put under arrest yesterday Hafiz Muhammed Saeed, the leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba which is responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks,” said the official requesting anonymity.

But the official quickly noted that this was the seventh time that Saeed was arrested since 2001 attack on India’s Parliament when he was detained right after that attack and was subsequently released.

“That is why we are very clear-eyed and realistic when you see him arrested” as he has been arrested and released in the past. “So we would look to see that Pakistan take sustained action in actually prosecuting these people,” the official said.

“Quite frankly, the previous arrest of Hafiz Muhammed Saeed hasn’t made a difference and the LeT has been able to operate. So we’re monitoring the situation,” said the senior administration official as reporters asked questions on the links between Pakistani intelligence services and terrorist groups.

The US “remains concerned” about terrorist groups that continue to operate in Pakistan, such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Haqqani network. “We do have concerns about link between these groups and Pakistan intelligence services in military. That’s no secret,” the official said.

The US, the official said, welcomes Prime Minister Khan’s pledge that Pakistan will not allow its soil to be used by militant groups and its vocal leadership and the Trump Administration is pressing for a new direction in this regard.

According to the official, the US has seen some initial steps with Pakistan pledging to seize the assets of some of these terrorist leaders, pledged to reform the madrasa and has taken under administrative control some of the facilities owned by these groups.

Prime Minister Khan himself said that Pakistan cannot reach its full potential unless it has peace and stability in the region.

Of course, peace and stability in the region would require it to crack down on the terrorist and militant groups that are creating the instability, the official said.

Pakistan really needs to prove that this time they are something different, he said.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

‘This type of violence has no place in democracy’: Odisha CM on Sarangi’s injury in Parliament

Surathkal: Revenue inspector caught accepting bribe

VPNs, proxy servers complicate bomb threat investigations, says Delhi Police

RS adjourned for day amid uproar after BJP’s allegations of misconduct by Rahul Gandhi

2 BJP MPs admitted in RML Hospital ICU with head injuries after scuffle with opposition

Puttur: Biker killed in collision with KSRTC bus

It takes 13 lives to make life jackets mandatory for boat rides from Gateway of India

Related Articles More

Trump says India charges lot of tariff, threatens to impose reciprocal tax

Cyclone Chido hits French territory of Mayotte; Death toll is ‘several hundred,’ top official says

Sheikh Hasina mounts fresh attacks on Muhammad Yunus; accuses him of leading an “undemocratic group”

Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain in San Francisco ICU with heart problems

Ousted PM Sheikh Hasina involved in enforced disappearance: Bangladesh commission

MUST WATCH

Feeding Birds with Creative Paddy Art!

Areca Nut

HOTEL SRI DURGA BHAVANA

Harish Poonja

Heartwarming Miracle!


Latest Additions

India moving forward at ‘unprecedented’ speed under Modi Govt: Rajnath

‘This type of violence has no place in democracy’: Odisha CM on Sarangi’s injury in Parliament

Surathkal: Revenue inspector caught accepting bribe

VPNs, proxy servers complicate bomb threat investigations, says Delhi Police

RS adjourned for day amid uproar after BJP’s allegations of misconduct by Rahul Gandhi

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.