US designates Hafiz Saeed's Milli Muslim League as terror organization
The United States on Tuesday designated Milli Muslim League (MML), a the political front of Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa a foreign terrorist organisation.
The US Department of State on Tuesday brought amendments to the designation of Pakistan-based banned terrorist organization Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT) and also included Tehreek-e- Azadi-e Kashmir (TAJK) under the list of terror organisation.
The US also designated seven members of the MML as foreign terrorists for acting on behalf of LeT.
The changes have been done to designate LeT as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224, as per a press release by the US Department of State dated April 2.
These designations seek to deny the resources it needs to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks.
Among other consequences of the designations, LeT's property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group.
Usually, the citizens of the United States are prohibited to engage in any form of transactions with LeT.
"Today's amendments take aim at Lashkar e-Tayyiba's efforts to circumvent sanctions and deceive the public about its true character. Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence," said Nathan A Sales, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State.
The US further focused on exposing and isolating such terror organisations and terrorists and denying them access to the U.S. financial system.
It also noted that the step to include MML and TAJK under the ambit of Let would assist the law enforcement activities of the US agencies and other governments.
Formed in the 1980s, LeT was responsible for the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which killed 166 people.
It is further claimed in the release that LeT continues to operate freely within Pakistan, holding public rallies, raising funds, and plotting and training for terrorist attacks.
The Department of State designated LeT as Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist on December 26, 2001.
Its leader, Hafiz Saeed, is also designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
--ANI
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