‘So-called mastermind’ of Mumbai attacks: Trump hails Hafiz Saeed's arrest

US president says great pressure has been exerted over the last two years to find JuD chief

Hours after the arrest of proscribed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed in Punjab, US President Donald Trump lauded the move, saying the "so-called mastermind" of the Mumbai attacks has been arrested.

India had alleged that Saeed was behind armed gunmen storming different targets in Mumbai which left 166 people dead in 2008.

"After a ten year search he [Hafiz Saeed] has been arrested after great pressure has been exerted over the last two years to find him," Trump wrote on his Twitter handle.

After a ten year search, the so-called “mastermind” of the Mumbai Terror attacks has been arrested in Pakistan. Great pressure has been exerted over the last two years to find him!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 17, 2019

Banned JuD leader Hafiz Saeed arrested in Punjab

The JuD chief, who has a $10 million US bounty on his head, was taken into custody by security forces while travelling to Lahore from Gujranwala. He was intercepted by Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD).

The JuD chief was then presented in an anti-terrorism court in Gujranwala and sent on judicial remand.

“Hafiz Saeed was going to Gujranwala this morning to get pre-arrest bail but he was arrested by CTD on his way. The CTD presented him in the Anti Terrorism Court Gujranwala for judicial remand. The ATC sent him to jail,” said a statement released by the CTD Punjab.

The JuD spokesperson also confirmed the news of Saeed’s arrest and added that the leader has been taken to Kot Lakhpat jail.

The CTD has been instructed to complete the investigation and submit a charge sheet in the stipulated time.

The spokesperson also claimed that Saeed was earlier given bail in two cases registered against him in Lahore. He, however, claimed that the bail in one of the cases was supposed to last till August 3.