(Cipher Brief) Pakistani authorities on July 17 arrested Hafiz Saeed, founder of the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or "Army of the Pure," and mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. Since the attacks, Saeed has operated openly in Pakistan, meeting with journalists, fundraising, and traveling throughout the country to elevate his profile and seek support for a political party linked to LeT. The U.S. placed a $10 million bounty on Saeed and has repeatedly pressured the Pakistanis to bring him to justice. His capture occurred just days before Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Washington for talks with President Trump. Khan is attempting to refashion Pakistan's image from a state sponsor of terrorism to a responsible member of the international community, promising a crackdown on groups that engage in political violence or seek to use Pakistan as a sanctuary from which they can launch terrorist attacks. In addition, the Pakistanis have also moved to freeze assets and seize the property of militants associated with LeT and other terrorist groups.
2019-07-24 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive