Death threat to Hafiz Saeed: Lashkar-e-Toiba creates 'special security team' to protect JuD chief

Lashkar-e-Toiba is believed to have created a 'special security team' to protect JuD chief Hafiz Saeed.

Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) is believed to have created a "special security team" to protect Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed who is wanted in India for masterminding the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

According to media reports, Saeed's LeT special security agents have been equipped with modern arms and ammunition.

Reports claimed that the specially trained LeT agents would provide round-the-clock security to Hafiz Saeed, even when he is travelling outside Lahore. 

Hafiz Saeed was last clicked on Friday, surrounded by a heavy pose of security men, at the GT Road, Gujranwala, Pakistan where he had gone to give a 'Khutba' or sermon after Friday prayers.

Hafiz Saeed – a UN-designated global terrorist – was recently released after nearly ten months of house arrest following a Pakistan court order. 

Hafiz Saeed has been issuing political comments and statements against the United States and Israel on the issues of Jerusalem and the future of the Palestine State.

The co-founder of LeT and the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa recently reacted strongly to US President Donald Trump's announcement to shift the American Embassy to Jerusalem, terming the decision pro-Zionist and anti-Muslim. 

He warned President Trump that his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel would evoke a strong reaction from the Muslim world and could possibly lead to a declaration of war across the Middle East.

On December 12, in Karachi, he stated that member countries of the International Human Rights bodies were active in trampling human rights and also condemned the silence of these institutions to the "oppression" of Muslims in Palestine and other parts of the world.

He further added that Israel in Palestine are "committing atrocities" and urged the Government of Pakistan not to become the victim of external forces and stand with Palestinians in their "freedom struggle".

The US has recently expressed concerns about JuD chief Hafiz Saeed running for office in Pakistan in 2018.

The Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) head and LeT founder had earlier confirmed that his organisation Jammat-ud-Dawa will contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan under the banner of the Milli Muslim League, which is yet to be registered with the Election Commission.

"Saeed, who was released by Pakistan from house arrest last November resulting in an angry reaction from the US, was the "mastermind" of the Mumbai terrorist attacks and is leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said.

"It's a group that the US government considers to be a terror organisation. We have many conversations with the government of Pakistan. One of the things that happened recently was that this guy was held on house arrest. Pakistan released him from house arrest, and now there's word that he may be running for some sort of office," she said reporters here.

Saeed and the JuD were already banned by the UN while US has put USD 10 million bounty on the arrest of Hafiz Saeed.