The Hindu : Front Page : U.N. slaps sanctions on Jamat-ud-Dawah

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U.N. slaps sanctions on Jamat-ud-Dawah

United Nations: Acceding to India’s demand, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday imposed sanctions on the Pakistan-based Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) after declaring it a terrorist outfit.

The Council branded four of the organisation’s top leaders — the founder of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the suspected Mumbai attacks mastermind Zakir-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Haji Muhammad Ashraf and Zaki-ur-Bahaziq — terrorists.

Lakhvi is the LeT’s operational chief, while Ashraf and Bahaziq, an India-born Saudi, collect funds for the JuD. Saeed formed the outfit in 2002 after the Lashkar was banned.

India had made a strong plea in the Council for sanctions on the JuD, contending along with the U.S. that the outfit is a front for the LeT, which was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation by the U.S. in 2001 and proscribed by the U.N. in 2005 for its affiliation with the al-Qaeda. The LeT, banned in Pakistan since 2002, is also outlawed by the European Union.

“Freeze assets”

The Council also asked member-states to freeze the assets of the 4 LeT men and imposed a travel ban and arms embargo on them.

The U.S. said it was pleased that the Security Council Committee decided to move forward on these high-priority designations. “These actions will limit the ability of known terrorists to travel, acquire weapons, plan, carry out, or raise funds for new attacks.”

India had sought a ban on the JuD after the LeT was suspected to be behind the terror attacks in Mumbai on November 26.

The decision was taken by a Council’s committee which put the JuD and the four individuals on the Consolidated List of persons and entities connected with the al-Qaeda and Taliban.

The ban came a day after Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed made a powerful case during a debate on terrorism in the Council for imposing sanctions on the JuD and Saeed. — PTI

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