Provide evidence against Hafiz Saeed instead of crying on America’s shoulders is the advice proffered by Khalid Waleed, the son-in-law of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief.
“India is always crying internationally. Why don’t you provide evidence instead of just using television clips of the Mumbai attacks? America has asked for Hafiz Saeed’s re-arrest only because of pressure from India,’’ Waleed told HT over the phone from Lahore.
Son-in-law Waleed is seen as Saeed’s successor and has figured in several intelligence inputs pertaining to terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Waleed also confirmed that Saeed had petitioned the United Nations asking for his name to be removed from the list of designated terrorists.
A similar request by the LeT founder had been rejected in 2009.
“Waleed is being groomed by Saeed and has been the mastermind behind several terror attacks in Kashmir for the last year,’’ a government official said.
Waleed was also named by Pakistan-born terrorist Bahadar Ali, arrested during the height of the unrest last year after the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. Ali is believed to have told his interrogators that Waleed directed him to use stone pelters as shields to hurl grenades at security officials.
Waleed said Saeed would continue to fight for the liberation of Kashmir, now that he has been released after ten months of detention.
“How can he be re-arrested? He has been released by a three-judge bench of the review board.” Waleed was this reporters minder during a trip to the LeT headquarters soon after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The United States strongly condemned Saeed’s release and called for his immediate re-arrest and prosecution last Saturday.
Saeed, with deep linkages to both the army and the ISI, is back to giving sermons and addressing gatherings. “Kashmir is our core issue. We will not give up. Even the Pakistani government cannot afford to stop speaking on Kashmir,’’ Waleed said.(HT)