US blacklists 3 Pakistanis for being 'militant leaders'

Treasury Department says the three men were all actively involved in leading and planning terrorist operations.

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday blacklisted three Pakistanis claiming that they were acting on behalf of terrorist organisations and were leaders of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

The Treasury Department said in a statement that the three men - Amanullah Afridi, Mati ur-Rehman and Abdul Rauf Azhar - were all "actively involved in leading or planning operations."

The department froze all assets they may have possessed in the United States, and made it illegal for Americans to engage in any transactions with them.

Authorities said Afridi and Rehman both hold leadership roles in Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, known for its attacks on members of the Shiite minority and which US authorities say took part in the 2002 murder of journalist Daniel Pearl.

Authorities said Azhar is a leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammad movement. The Treasury Department further alleged that he was tasked with organising suicide bombings in India in compliance with training camps in Pakistan.

Although the two groups were banned by both the United States and Pakistan, some US officials said that Islamabad is selective in its action against militants, turning a blind eye to those that are useful against India.