Lahore: Under mounting international
pressure, Pakistani police has registered two cases against
JuD chief Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the mastermind of 26/11 Mumbai
terror attacks, and one against his close aide Abu Jandal
under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Three FIRs – two against Saeed and one against Abu
Jandal – were registered at police stations in Faisalabad,
some 100 km from here, for inciting people to wage "jehad"
(holy war) against "infidels", a senior police officer said late last night.
The officer, who did not wish to be identified, said
Saeed had attended Iftar-dinners and held a meeting with
activists of his banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah organisation on August
27 and 28 during which he asked the people to wage a jehad.
"Saeed had also sought donations from the gatherings
for jehad," a source in a law enforcement agency said.
The police action against Saeed comes days ahead of a
proposed meeting between the Foreign Ministers and Foreign
Secretaries of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of the UN
General Assembly session in New York.
Saeed, the founder of banned Lashker-e-Toiba, has been
blamed by India for masterminding the Mumbai terror attacks
last year which claimed 183 innocent lives.
Addressing the gatherings, Saeed reportedly highlighted
the importance of jehad and incited his followers to wage war
on infidels.
Sources said the first congregation addressed by Saeed
in Faisalabad was held at a hotel on Canal Road and was
attended by a large number of people. The second was held at
the residence of a JuD activist on Jaranwala Road, they said.
"Abu Jandal held a separate meeting and preached
jehad," a source said.
Following these meetings, officials of the Special
Branch of Punjab Police filed applications for registering
cases against Saeed. Police were given a "green signal" from
authorities for registering cases against Saeed and Jandal
under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The officer said the FIRs had been registered under
provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act in the police stations at
People`s Colony, Madina Town and Sadar in Faisalabad.
"We have not conducted any raids as we are waiting for
a go-ahead from the high-ups," the officer said. He added that
Saeed`s detention or arrest could not be ruled out.
Saeed was placed under house arrest in December last
year after the UN Security Council declared the JuD a
terrorist organisation. He was freed on the orders of the
Lahore High Court in June this year.
India has been insisting that Pakistan must take action
against Saeed for his role in the Mumbai attacks but Islamabad
has said the evidence provided by New Delhi against him is not
adequate for arresting or prosecuting the JuD chief.
Bureau Report
