Posted on 08/10/2006 4:33:39 PM PDT by DesiCoderExtreme
LeT founder Saeed detained in Lahore Nirupama Subramanian
"Arrest not made at India's instance"
ISLAMABAD: Hafiz Saeed, head of the Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD) and founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, (LeT) has been placed under house arrest in Lahore, a spokesman for the group said.
New Delhi has several times demanded that Pakistan arrest Mr. Saeed, linking the LeT to a string of terrorist attacks across India.
The demand was most recently reiterated after the Mumbai blasts, when India postponed Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan.
But the JuD dismissed the possibility that the arrest was made under Indian pressure.
JuD spokesman Yahya Mujahid said the arrest was linked to the group's plan to hold a rally at the Minar-e-Pakistan, an independence monument in Lahore, on August 12, two days before Pakistan celebrates its independence day. "Police first gave permission to hold the rally, then they cancelled it and arrested Hafiz Saeed. It's got nothing to do with India," he told The Hindu. He said the police informed the organisation about the arrest on Wednesday night and had told the JuD it would last a month.
"His house has been declared a sub-jail. He is in the house with his family, and none of us are allowed to meet him," he said.
Mr. Mujahid said the JuD would move the courts against the arrest and was consulting lawyers, he said.
Interior Ministry officials did not return this correspondent's calls to find out the reasons for the sudden action against Mr. Saeed.
Pakistan banned the LeT in 2002. When it came back renamed as JuD, Pakistan put it on a "watch-list" in November 2003. The JuD describes itself as a charitable organisation and played a high profile role in relief work after the 2005 earthquake in PoK.
The United States banned the group earlier this year saying it was LeT under a different name.
However, the JuD claims it has nothing to do with LeT. Months before the 2002 ban on LeT, Mr. Saeed announced he was withdrawing from its leadership and would henceforth head only the JuD. He said the LeT would no longer operate from Pakistan but would withdraw to Kashmir.
But following the ban on LeT, Mr. Saeed was arrested along with hundreds of others from the militant group. They were all released a few months later as the Pakistan government did not bring any charges against them.
What the #%*@!!! House arrest? What do you suppose he's doing in there? Do you suppose he's making hommade bombs?
Do you suppose he's making hommade bombs?
In a sub-jail? Don't be rediculous!
/s
Oh, gee, understanding Pakistan's game makes this so hard. Here's a guess...House arrest protects Mr. Saeed?
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