WASHINGTON: Twelve years after 11/26 Mumbai attacksThe United States has announced a reward of up to $ 5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of the Lashkar-e-Taiba member. Sajid Mir for his role in the Mumbai attacks in 2008.
According to an official statement issued by the US Justice Rewards program, “Sajid Mir, a high-ranking member of the Pakistan-based foreign terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), is wanted for his involvement in the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. The Rewards for Justice program offers a reward of up to $ 5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction in any country of Sajid Mir for his role in these attacks. ”
On November 26, 2008, 10 terrorists, trained by the Pakistan-based terrorist organization LeT, carried out a series of coordinated attacks against multiple targets in Mumbai: the Taj Mahal Hotel, the Oberoi Hotel, the Leopold Cafe, the Nariman (Chabad) House, and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal – killing 166 people.
In these horrible attacks, nine terrorists were killed and the only survivor, Ajmal Amir Kasab, was captured and sentenced to death. On November 11, 2012, Kasab was hanged at the Yerwada Central Jail in Pune.
“Sajid Mir was LeT’s operations manager for the Mumbai attack, playing a prominent role in its planning, preparation and execution. Mir was indicted in the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division (Chicago , Illinois) on April 21, 2011, and was charged with conspiracy to damage foreign government property; provide material support to terrorists; assist and incite the murder of a citizen outside of the United States; and bomb sites of public use. According to the indictment, During the attacks, Mir advised the attackers to kill hostages, set fire and throw grenades and also called for the release of a hostage in exchange for the release of a captured attacker. On April 22, 2011 An arrest warrant was issued for Mir. In 2019, Mir was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List, “the department said.
It added that on August 30, 2012, the Treasury Department appointed Mir to leadership positions within the LeT. “According to the United States Department of the Treasury, beginning in 2005, Mir led the training of operatives preparing for recruitment, money laundering and operational planning abroad. The LeT was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States Department of State in December 2001 “added department.
However, the Pakistani authorities continue to deny his guilt and have yet to take action on the multiple files shared by India. An ongoing trial in a Pakistani anti-terror court against seven suspects has made little progress in more than a decade as Pakistani officials seriously question the sufficiency and legitimacy of the evidence against them.
Pakistan has long been criticized for cultivating terrorist groups and the country is currently facing new pressure to act against terrorists.
It has been included on the FATF gray list because it failed to comply with six key obligations of the global watchdog on money laundering and terrorist financing.
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