US President Donald Trump Wednesday welcomed the arrest of JuD chief Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan, saying “great pressure” was exerted over Islamabad in the last two years to find him. Saeed, a UN designated terrorist whom the US has placed a USD 10 million bounty on, was arrested while he was going to Gujranwala from Lahore on Wednesday morning.
Saeed’s arrest comes just days ahead of Pakistan PrimeMinister Imran Khan’s maiden visit to the US and talks with President Trump whohas previously admonished Pakistan for not doing enough to rein in militantgroups operating from its soil.
“After a ten year search, the so-called”mastermind” of the Mumbai Terror attacks has been arrested inPakistan. Great pressure has been exerted over the last two years to findhim!” Trump said in a tweet.
Saeed was presented before an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) inGujranwala that sent him on judicial remand for seven days. He was subsequentlyshifted to Lahore’s high-security KotLakhpat jail, Pakistani officials said. Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) is believed to bethe front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people, including American nationals. Hewas listed under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008.