Terrorist Country (Pakistan) Frees Their Terror DogsPakistani authorities have freed detained Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the leader of Lashkar-e-Toiba front Jamaat-ud-Dawa from house arrest in his house in eastern Pakistan on Tuesday. The release was ordered by the Lahore High Court.
Saeed had been put under house arrest on Thursday December 11, 2008 following international hue and cry over the JuD's involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks of 26 November 2008.
In December 2008, the UN Security Council had listed the group as a front for LeT. Saeed's home in Johar Town area of Lahore was declared a "sub-jail".
Saeed's associates freed too
PTI reports that Saeed's close aide Col (retired) Nazir Ahmed too was freed along with him nearly six months after they were detained following the Mumbai terror attacks.
A three-member bench of the Lahore High Court freed Saeed and Ahmed after hearing arguments by the JuD chief's counsel A K Dogar, who claimed the detention of the two men violated Pakistan's constitution and laws.
The three-judge bench, hearing the case, said it will give a detailed order later.
Dogar, who addressed the bench for about 45 minutes, said the UN Security Council had only sought a freeze on the JuD's assets and a travel ban on its leaders and the world body had not demanded the arrest of JuD leaders.
He claimed it was not binding under Pakistani laws to implement UN Security Council resolutions.
This is not the first time Hafiz Saeed has been under house arrest or released therefrom. He was first placed under house arrest in August 2006 but later Lahore High Court had ordered his release.
Authorities rearrested him hours after that, only to set him free again a few weeks later.
In January 2009, Pakistani authorities had extended by two months the detention of Hafiz Mohammed Saeed and seven other activists of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa.
The Mumbai terror strikes had left over 170 people dead and horrified the world.
The Jamaat leaders have been detained under the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance, which allows a person to be held for up to 90 days.
The then Pakistani Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar had told reporters that Saeed and other militant leaders detained by Pakistani authorities could not be tried in the absence of evidence against them.
The Punjab government spokesman had also said 10 schools and 18 dispensaries run by the Jamaat in the province had been taken over by authorities. Seven Jamaat publications had been banned and all copies had been confiscated.
Though Pakistani authorities had detained Jamaat leaders, sealed the group's offices across the country and frozen its bank accounts, local media reports had described the measures as "half-hearted".
The reports had said Saeed, also the leader of the LeT, had been allowed to leave his home and that the Jamaat's sprawling headquarters at Muridke near Lahore was still fully operational.
Saeed had been put under house arrest on Thursday December 11, 2008 following international hue and cry over the JuD's involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks of 26 November 2008.
In December 2008, the UN Security Council had listed the group as a front for LeT. Saeed's home in Johar Town area of Lahore was declared a "sub-jail".
Saeed's associates freed too
PTI reports that Saeed's close aide Col (retired) Nazir Ahmed too was freed along with him nearly six months after they were detained following the Mumbai terror attacks.
A three-member bench of the Lahore High Court freed Saeed and Ahmed after hearing arguments by the JuD chief's counsel A K Dogar, who claimed the detention of the two men violated Pakistan's constitution and laws.
The three-judge bench, hearing the case, said it will give a detailed order later.
Dogar, who addressed the bench for about 45 minutes, said the UN Security Council had only sought a freeze on the JuD's assets and a travel ban on its leaders and the world body had not demanded the arrest of JuD leaders.
He claimed it was not binding under Pakistani laws to implement UN Security Council resolutions.
This is not the first time Hafiz Saeed has been under house arrest or released therefrom. He was first placed under house arrest in August 2006 but later Lahore High Court had ordered his release.
Authorities rearrested him hours after that, only to set him free again a few weeks later.
In January 2009, Pakistani authorities had extended by two months the detention of Hafiz Mohammed Saeed and seven other activists of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa.
The Mumbai terror strikes had left over 170 people dead and horrified the world.
The Jamaat leaders have been detained under the Maintenance of Public Order ordinance, which allows a person to be held for up to 90 days.
The then Pakistani Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar had told reporters that Saeed and other militant leaders detained by Pakistani authorities could not be tried in the absence of evidence against them.
The Punjab government spokesman had also said 10 schools and 18 dispensaries run by the Jamaat in the province had been taken over by authorities. Seven Jamaat publications had been banned and all copies had been confiscated.
Though Pakistani authorities had detained Jamaat leaders, sealed the group's offices across the country and frozen its bank accounts, local media reports had described the measures as "half-hearted".
The reports had said Saeed, also the leader of the LeT, had been allowed to leave his home and that the Jamaat's sprawling headquarters at Muridke near Lahore was still fully operational.
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