US backs India for listing Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar as terrorists

New Delhi: The United States on Thursday backed India designating four Pakistan based criminals as terrorists under teh amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, saying it would expand possibilities of cooperation between Washington and New Delhi in fighting terrorism.

The Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, Alice G Wells, tweeted on Wednesday, "We stand w/ #India and commend it for utilizing new legal authorities to designate 4 notorious terrorists: Maulana Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Dawood Ibrahim. This new law expands possibilities for joint #USIndia efforts to combat scourge of terrorism."

We stand w/ #India & commend it for utilizing new legal authorities to designate 4 notorious terrorists: Maulana Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi & Dawood Ibrahim. This new law expands possibilities for joint #USIndia efforts to combat scourge of terrorism. AGW — State_SCA (@State_SCA) September 4, 2019

On Wednesday, fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, LeT's supreme commander of operations in Kashmir Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi were designated as terrorists under the UAPA through a government notification.

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act allows the Centre and States to designate individuals as terrorists and seize their property. The law was passed by the Parliament last month. Under the earlier law, only organisations could be designated as terrorist outfits and not individuals.

Saeed's LeT carried out several terrorist attacks including the 2000 Red Fort attack, Rampur attack, 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed. 

JeM terrorists attacked the Parliament building and Jammu and Kashmir State Legislative Assembly complex in 2001, killing nine and eight people respectively. Pathankot terror attack in 2016, Pulmawa attack in February this year was also carried by Jem terrorist.

His outfit was also involved in terror attacks on Border Security Force camp at Humhama in Srinagar in October, 2017, on the CRPF camp at Lethpora, Pulwama in December, 2017 and on the army camp, Sunjwan, Jammu in February, 2018, said the notification.

Lakhvi is accused in various cases of LeT attacks and being investigated by the NIA, said the notification, adding that he is also designated by the United Nations as a global terrorist under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 on December 10, 2008 and has been involved in various terrorist attacks in India.

Dawood is alleged to be instrumental in promoting religious fundamentalism, terror financing, arms smuggling, circulation of counterfeit currency, money laundering, narcotics, extortion and benami real estate business in India and abroad and is also involved in assassination attempts on prominent personalities to create social disharmony and terrorise common man.

He was designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 and listed in Al-Qaeda sanction list on November 3, 2003.