US calls for convicting LeT leader Lakhvi for Mumbai attacks

State dept hails Pakistani court’s verdict of handing down five years rigorous imprisonment to Zakiur Rehman

ISLAMABAD:

The United States on Saturday welcomed the conviction of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, one of the alleged founders of the banned Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT), but also said that his crimes go far beyond just ‘financing terrorism’.

Lakhvi was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab from Lahore in connection with running a medical dispensary to collect funds for terrorism financing last week.

ATC-III Judge Ejaz Ahmad Buttar later on Friday handed down five years rigorous imprisonment to the alleged founder of LeT with a fine of Rs100,000 each on three counts.

However, all three sentences will run, concurrently. In default of payment of fine, Lakhvi will undergo an imprisonment of six months each on the three counts.

We are encouraged by the recent conviction of Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi. However, his crimes go far beyond financing terrorism. Pakistan should further hold him accountable for his involvement in terrorist attacks, including the Mumbai attacks.

— State_SCA (@State_SCA) January 9, 2021

 

"We are encouraged by the recent conviction of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi. However, his crimes go far beyond financing terrorism," US State Department wrote on its official Twitter handle.

“Pakistan should further hold him accountable for his involvement in terrorist attacks, including the Mumbai attacks,” it added.

During the court proceedings, a law officer had argued that evidences about the accused’s involvement in terrorism funding were on record and that the accused was liable to be punished under the relevant law provisions.

The court was informed that Lakhvi was a founding member of the banned LeT, which was proscribed in the country in 2002 due to its involvement in the terrorism, while the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) has also imposed financial restrictions on him.