US names JuD as terror outfit, sanctions two LeT leaders

WASHINGTON: Tightening its noose around LeT, the US today added its affiliates, including the JuD, to its list of designated terror organisations and slapped sanctions against two Pakistan-based LeT leaders.

The State Department has amended Lashkar-e-Taiba's designations to add the aliases: Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Al-Anfal Trust, Tehrik-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool and Tehrik-e-Tahafuz Qibla Awwal, an official statement said.

Simultaneously, the Department of the Treasury targeted the financial and leadership networks of LeT by designating Nazir Ahmad Chaudhry (Ahmad) and Muhammad Hussein Gill as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).

Ahmad and Gill are being designated for acting for or on behalf of LeT, a terrorist organisation based in Pakistan.

Treasury and the Department of State have designated 22 individuals and four entities associated with LeT.

"In targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba leadership, today's action demonstrates our unrelenting commitment to combating terrorism by disrupting terrorist groups' financial activities," said the Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S Cohen.

"We will continue to target LeT's financial foundation to disrupt and impede its violent activities," he added.

LeT was responsible for the deadly November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai that claimed 166 lives and injured more than 300.

The group's leader is Hafiz Saeed is also a designated terrorist leader.