JuD linked to terror outfits:Rice, Pak must act on UN decision

UNITED NATIONS: Rejecting Pakistan's claim that Jamaat-ud-Dawah, the front group of Lashker-e- Taiba blamed for Mumbai terror attacks is a charity, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pressed Islamabad to "adhere" completely to the UN Security Council's ban on the outfit.

In remarks suggesting that the JuD is definitely linked to terror, Rice said that Washington has learnt the hard way that such groups sometimes are too intertwined with the bodies that have terrorist ties.

Talking to reporters, Rice said the US would press Pakistan as also other member States to adhere completely to the UN decision to ban the Jamaat, freeze its assets and deny travel visas to its leaders.

The US expects that Pakistan would cooperate as it itself faces the problem of terrorism and its dire consequences, she said.

The remarks by Rice came amid reports from Pakistan suggesting that it might be easing restrictions on JuD which is the parent body of LeT said to be involved in the Mumbai terror attacks. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has also reportedly said that charitable arms of JuD will not be closed down.

Media reports had also said that JuD had transferred millions of dollars of funds into accounts which would be difficult to locate and analysts have expressed the fear that it might start operating under a different name.

Pakistan, Rice said, now has a new civilian government that is legitimate, wants to deal with the world in good faith and wants to be respected in the international politics. It also wants to deal with terrorism problem.