A report compiled by Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) mentions in its “most wanted” list of terrorists 19 Pakistanis, who were involved in planning and providing financial help in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008 that killed 166 people. The list has 28 names.
The dossier says that all the wanted 19 men are part of the “defunct” Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan based terror outfit.
Based on the evidence provided by India and amid international pressure, the FIA registered a case on February 12, 2009, under various sections to probe the Mumbai attacks. It has so far charge sheeted 27 accused persons and 20 were declared proclaimed offenders. The trial in the case is yet to be concluded.
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The 19 include Amjad Khan. The FIA dossier describes him as a “crew member of Ex Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (boat Al-Hussaini and boat Al-Fauz), who also purchased boat Al Fauz, which was used during Mumbai Terror attacks.”
It says, “He also purchased Yamaha Motor boat engine, life jackets, inflatable boats etc. from ARZ water sport Karachi, these things were used in Mumbai Terror Attacks and recovered by Indian authorities. Place of Birth Multan, CNIC No. 36302-0426632-3”.
FBI agent sent to Japan
As reported by The Hindu (November 24, 2018), the U.S.’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sent one of its agents to the Yamaha Motor’s headquarter in Japan to seek help in tracing the person who purchased the engine. The FBI found that the shop owner in Karachi sold eight such engines to Amjad Khan, a LeT financier.
Ten LeT terrorists from Pakistan had set off on one of the boats to carry out a terrorist attack in Mumbai.
The other Mumbai conspirators mentioned in the FIA report are LeT terrorist Iftihar Ali, who deposited $250 at Euro 2005 Money Changer in Islamabad to obtain a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) connection for “terrorist communication”; captain of Al Hussaini & Al Fouz Shahid Gaffoor; crew members of the two boats Abdul Rehman, Usman, Ateeq-ur-Rehman, Riaz Ahmad, Mushtaq, Naeem, Abdul Shakoor, Sabir Salfi, Usman, Shakil Ahmad; LeT financiers- Usman Zia, Abbas Nasir, Javed Iqbal, Mukhtar Ahmad, Ahmed Saeed and Muhammad Khan, who provided Al Hussaini boat to the terrorists.
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The FIA report, made available to journalists in Pakistan, said the “Federal Government has recently introduced a number of fresh legislations to enable security forces and LEAs (law enforcement agencies) to confront terrorist groups more effectively.” It overall names 1,210 most wanted terrorists (MWTs). “The current book on MWTs is a product of co-operation between various Law enforcement Departments,” it said.
Pakistan faces a final decision on its greylist status at the Financial Action Task Force in February 2021. If it fails to complete the last six tasks on its action list, it faces severe financial structures by being downgraded to the blacklist, a list that includes showing credible action against listed terror entities, including those involved in the 26/11 attacks.
Published - November 12, 2020 07:40 pm IST
