India demands ban on JUD and freezing of its assets

Dharam Shourie

United Nations, Dec 10 (PTI) India has put in a formal
request to the UN Security Council seeking a ban on the
Jamaat-ud-Dawaah, suspected to be involved in the Mumbai
terror attacks, and Pakistan promptly promised to do so if the
Council decides to proscribe the group as a terrorist outfit.

Describing the terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and its
front organisation JUD as "merchants of terror", India's
Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said that time
has come eliminate such outfits.

He said by unleashing terror attacks in Mumbai, these
groups had brought about a "qualitatively new and dangerous
escalation of terrorism".

"India has had experience of such machines which need to
be eliminated," Ahamed said, adding that the nexus between
State -- or elements within the State -- and terror outfits
must be broken and groups or individuals that indoctrinate,
organise, plan and finance terror have to be uprooted along
with other measures".

Pakistan Ambassador to the UN Abdullah Hussain Haroon
today handed out an assurance to the Council that Islamabad
would proscribe the Jamaat-ud-Dawah and freeze its assets on
the request of the UNSC.

Islamabad has also assured the world body that all
training camps of Lashkar-e-Taiba or any entity of this nature
would not be allowed on its territory.

Earlier, Ahamed said: "all those who were in any way
responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks, wherever they may
be should be brought to justice".

He said the JUD and other such groups "need to be
proscribed internationally and effective sanctions impose
against them".

India also demanded that the country of the origin of
terrorists who carried out the Mumbai carnage needs to take
urgent steps to stop their functioning.

Pakistan's undertaking was given by Haroon and came after
India had sent a formal request to the Council to put
sanctions on JUD and its leaders.

Addressing the Council during a debate on terrorism,
where the Mumbai carnage was in focus, Haroon said that moves
would be set into motion to freeze assets of the JUD, if the
Council puts sanctions on the outfit.
(resolution) 1267, the Government on receiving communication
from the Security Council shall proscribe the JUD and take
other consequential actions, as required, including the
freezing of assets," he said.

He told the Council that Pakistani authorities had
already initiated investigations on its own pertaining to
allegations of involvement of its citizens and entities in the
Mumbai attacks.

Ahamed had told the Council that India would act to
"safeguard and protect" its people from such heinous attacks,
howsoever long or difficult task that may be.

New Delhi, he said, has acted with restraint in the face
of international terrorist attacks.

But "we must do our duty by our people and take all
actions as we deem fit to defend and protect them," he said,
adding that the Charter of the United Nations and provisions
of international law, including the right of self-defence,
gives it the framework to fulfil these responsibilities.

"Our people ask the international community to
determinedly pursue and eliminate terrorist organisations. The
world needs to act decisively and in a coordinated manner to
prevent further attacks," he added. PTI DS
PMR
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