Saeed, Azhar, Dawood, Lakhvi declared terrorists

New Delhi: India on Wednesday declared Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, LeT's supreme commander of operations in Kashmir Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, all based in Pakistan, as terrorists under the amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The declaration, made through a gazette notification issued on Wednesday, comes nearly a month after Parliament approved a crucial amendment to the UAPA law. According to the amendment, individuals could also be declared as terrorists. Earlier, only groups or organisations could be declared as terrorists.

The notification was issued based on clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act which empowers the Central government to notify the name of an individual in the fourth schedule to the Act, if it believes that the individual is involved in terrorism.

The Central government believes that Saeed, Azhar, Lakhvi and Dawood are involved in terrorism and are to be notified as terrorists under the UAPA, said the notification.

"Maulana Masood Azhar alias Maulana Mohammad Masood Azhar Alvi alias Vali Adam Issa, having date of birth on July 10, 1968, son of Allah Baksh Sabir, is founder, chief and key leader of proscribed terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad, which is listed as a terrorist organisation under the First Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

"Azhar has been designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 on May 1 this year and was declared as a proclaimed offender by the Special Judge (POTA), New Delhi," the notification said.

He was accused in various cases registered and being investigated by the National Investigation Agency and a charge sheet had been filed against him in the Pathankot air base attack case. A Red Corner Notice (No. A-1086/7-2004 and A-4367/5-2016) have also been issued against Azhar.

Hafiz Saeed -- also known by his different aliases as Hafiz Mohammad Sahib, Hafiz Mohaddad Sayid, Hafiz Muhammad, Hafiz Saeed, Hafez Mohammad Saeed, Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed, Mohammad Sayed and Muhammad Saeed -- born on June 5, 1950, son of Kamal-ud-Din, is founder chief and key leader of proscribed terrorist organisation LeT and Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD), said the notification.

The LeT is listed as a terrorist organisation and Saeed is designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 on December 10, 2008.

It was also noted in the notification that he has been involved in various terrorist attacks in India that include the Red Fort attack (December 22, 2000) in which three persons including two army jawans were killed, and the Rampur attack (January 1, 2008) in which seven Central Reserve Police Force personnel and one civilian were killed. He was also named in the 26/11 Mumbai attack in which 166 people, including 25 foreigners, were killed and 235 people were injured.

Lakhvi -- also known as Abu Waheed Irshad Ahmad Arshad, Kaki Ur-Rehman, Zakir Rehman Lakhvi, Zaki-Ur-Rehman Lakvi, Zakir Rehman -- born on December 30, 1960, son of Hafiz Aziz-ur-Rehman, is the chief operational commander of LeT and also one of its founder members, the notification said.

Lakhvi is accused in various cases of LeT attacks and being investigated by the NIA, said the notification, mentioning a charge sheet had been filed against him in Mumbai terror attack. An RCN (No. A-2413/8-2009) was issued against Lakhvi on August 28, 2009 for his role in Mumbai terror attack case.

Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar -- known with his different aliases as Dawood Hasan Shiekh Kaskar, Dawood Bhai, Dawood Sabri, Iqbal Seth, Bada Patel, Dawood Ebrahim, Sheikh Dawood Hassan, Abdul Hamid, Abdul Aziz, Anis Ibrahim, Aziz Dilip, Daud Hasan Shaikh Ibrahim Kaskar, Daud Ibrahim Memon Kaskar, Dawood Hasan Ibrahim Kaskar, Dawood Ibrahim Memon, Kaskar Dawood Hasan, Shaikh Mohd Ismail Abdul Rehman, Dowood Hassan Shaikh Ibrahim, Dawood Bhai Low quality, Ibrahim Shaikh Modh Anis, Shaikh Ismail Abdul, Sheikh Farooqi, Iqbal Bhai having date -- born on December 26, 1955, son of Ibrahim Kaskar, runs an international underworld crime syndicate and is involved in perpetrating acts of terror, said the notification.

Dawood is also alleged to be instrumental in promoting religious fundamentalism, terror financing, arms smuggling, circulation of counterfeit currency, money laundering, narcotics, extortion and benami real estate business in India and abroad and is also involved in assassination attempts on prominent personalities to create social disharmony and terrorise common man.