Government to ask Twitter to block accounts with Hafiz Saeed Links

NEW DELHI: Security agencies will approach Twitter India to block all accounts having links with Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and Jamaat-ud-Dawa which are often found to be spreading venom against India.

There are several accounts which have links with LeT's front outfit, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, as well as terror mastermind Saeed and it has become necessary to shut these down as quickly as possible, officials said.

"We are approaching Twitter India which in turn will tell its US-based parent company to deactivate the accounts. Hopefully, it will be done soon," a official said.

Earlier, Twitter had blocked several accounts operated by Jamaat-ud-Dawa, headed by Saeed, following requests from security agencies in different countries, including India and the US. However, such accounts again cropped up after a gap of several months.

A fake account of Saeed had recently asked Pakistanis to support the JNU students who are protesting against the registration of a case of sedition against JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar. It had also asked users to trend the topic #PakStandWithJNU with the posts sparking a huge controversy.

Last Sunday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said the event organised at JNU to protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru had the backing of Saeed.

Even though the Home Ministry clarified that Singh's statement was based on inputs from different agencies, it was reportedly made in the wake of the posts on the fake Saeed Twitter account.