Pakistan under pressure after US bounty on Saeed, says India

India today welcomed the US announcement of a $10 million bounty on Hafiz Saeed, the 26/11 attacks mastermind, saying it sends a strong signal to LeT and its patrons. Bounty for opposing NATO supplies: Saeed | CEO, Terror Inc | India welcomes announcement

India on Tuesday welcomed the US announcement of a bounty of $10 million on Pakistan-based Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, saying it sends a strong signal to Lashker-e-Taiba and its patrons.

The-US-has-announced-a-reward-of-10-million-on-LeT-founder-Hafiz-Saeed-File-photo-AFP

"India welcomes US notification under the Rewards for Justice Programme. (It) sends a strong signal to LeT as also its members and patrons that the international community remains united in combating terrorism," MEA official spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said on Twitter.

Under the Rewards for Justice Programme, the US has announced a bounty of $10 million on the head of Saeed.

He said the announcement of the bounty reflects commitment of India and the US to bring perpetrators of Mumbai terrorist attack to justice and continuing efforts to combat terrorism.

Akbaruddin was referring to US undersecretary of state for political affairs Wendy Sherman's statement on the bounty issue on Monday.

Saeed, the founder of terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba, is on India's most wanted list. After the 26/11 attacks that left 166 people dead, India has asked Pakistan to hand him over.

Later, in a statement Akbaruddin said the US maintains both Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jamaat-ul-Dawa as foreign terrorist organisations and has also individually designated Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and Abdul Rahman Makki for terrorist activities under its law.

"In recent years, India and the United States have deepened mutual understanding on the nature of terrorism challenges emanating from India's neighbourhood," he said.

The two sides agree that all terrorist organisations, including LeT, should be defeated and have called for elimination of terrorist safe havens and infrastructure inside Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He also said India and the US have strengthened their counter-terrorism cooperation through the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism, Counter-terrorism Cooperation Initiative, the Homeland Security Dialogue and regular exchanges between intelligence and law enforcement agencies.