Islamabad: Lashing out at the US for putting
a bounty of USD 10 million on his head, a combative Hafiz
Mohammad Saeed on Tuesday said Washington was "frustrated" with him
for his countrywide protests against the resumption of NATO
supplies and drone strikes.
"We are not hiding in caves for bounties to be set on
finding us. I think the US is frustrated because we are taking
out countrywide protests against the resumption of NATO
supplies and drone strikes," LeT founder Saeed was quoted as
saying by Al-Jazeera news channel.
He added, "I believe either the US has very little
knowledge and is basing its decisions on wrong information
being provided by India or they are just frustrated".
Saeed claimed the US move was prompted by the fact that
he had been organising rallies against the reopening of NATO
supply lines through Pakistan, which were closed after a
cross-border attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in
November.
The US had last night announced a USD 10 million bounty
on the Pakistan-based Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief who is also the
mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
The move has been welcomed by India today, which said it
sends a strong signal to LeT and its "patrons" that the
international community remains united in combating terrorism.
Wendy Sherman, the US Undersecretary of State, said a USD
2 million bounty had been announced for Abul Rehman Makki, the
brother-in-law of Saeed.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik said
he is yet to receive any official intimation from the US and
noted that Saeed had been put under house arrest but was given
bail by the Supreme Court.
"We should have been taken into confidence as to what has
happened," he said when asked about the US putting a reward on
Saeed's head.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, April 03, 2012, 17:57