Unwarranted Euphoria

It is important to carefully study the language of the notices issued by the US Justice Department announcing bounties of US $ 25 million for Ayman al-Zawahiri, the head of Al Qaeda, and US $ 10 million each for Mullah Mohammad Omar, the Amir of the Afghan Taliban, and Prof-Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the head of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JUD).

In the case of Zawahiri and Omar, the announcement says :"Wanted Zawahiri" and "Wanted: Omar". That means the reward is for anyone who will help in locating them and assist in their capture or elimination.

In the case of Sayeed, the announcement says: "Wanted Information leading to the arrest and conviction of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed"

The reward has been announced in continuation of a Red Corner Notice issued by India through the Interpol for his arrest for prosecution in connection with the 26/11 terrorist strikes in Mumbai.

In the case of Zawahiri and Omar, the bounty is on their head. In the case of Sayeed, the bounty is not on his head. It is for information which would facilitate his arrest and conviction in the 26/11 terrorist strikes.

Pakistan has been claiming that India has not been able to provide any smoking gun evidence that could warrant the arrest and prosecution of Sayeed in connection with the 26/11 strikes. The US has announced a huge reward for anyone who will provide such information.

The question of the US undertaking an Abbottabad style operation to kill Sayeed does not arise.For that the US President has to record a finding that Sayeed poses a serious threat to US nationals and interests and authorise the CIA to undertake any operation against him even if that would involve his death.No such finding has been recorded by the US President in the case of Sayeed.

One should avoid unnecessary euphoria on the US announcement.

B. Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India

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The full text of the notice of the US Rewards for Justice:

Wanted
Information leading to the arrest and conviction of
Hafiz Mohammad Saeed
Up to $10 Million

Place of Birth : Sargodha, Punjab Province, Pakistan
Date of Birth : 06/05/1950
Sex : Male
Hair : Red
Eyes : Brown
Nationality : Pakistani
Citizenship : Pakistan

Hafiz Mohammad Saeed is a former professor of Arabic and Engineering, as well as the founding member of Jamaat-ud-Dawa, a radical Deobandi Islamist organization dedicated to installing Islamist rule over parts of India and Pakistan, and its military branch, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. Saeed is suspected of masterminding numerous terrorist attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six American citizens.

The Republic of India has issued an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Saeed for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Additionally, the United States Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated National under Executive Order 13224.

Lashkar-e-Tayyiba was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in December 2001. In April 2008, the United States designated Jamaat-ud-Dawa as a Foreign Terrorist Organization; similarly, the United Nations declared Jamaat-ud-Dawa a terrorist organization in December 2008.

The full text of the statement issued by the ministry of external affairs in response to the above:

Late last night, the U.S. Government announced an award of up to USD 10 million for information leading to arrest and conviction of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and up to USD two million for Hafiz Adbul Rahman Makki, under the Rewards for Justice programme, for information on the two terrorists.

2. The U.S. maintains both Lashkar e Taiba and Jamaat ul Dawa as foreign terrorist organisations and has also individually designated Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and Abdul Rahman Makki for terrorist activities under its law.

3. Yesterday, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman conveyed to Foreign Secretary, Shri Ranjan Mathai, that the U.S. Government would announce the new measure later in the day. Foreign Secretary expressed India’s sincere appreciation for the additional U.S. step to target Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed and Abdul Rahman Makki as well as LeT.

4. India welcomes the notification under the Rewards for Justice Programme. It reflects the commitment of India and the United States to bring the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack to justice and continuing efforts to combat terrorism. It also sends a strong signal to LeT as also its members and patrons that the international community remains united in combating terrorism.

5. In recent years, India and the United States have deepened mutual understanding on the nature of terrorism challenges emanating from India’s neighbourhood. The two sides agree that all terrorist organisations, including LeT, should be defeated and have called for elimination of terrorist safe havens and infrastructure inside Pakistan and Afghanistan.

6. The two sides have strengthened their counter-terrorism cooperation through the Joint Working Group on Counter-terrorism, Counter-terrorism Cooperation Initiative, the Homeland Security Dialogue and regular exchanges between intelligence and law enforcement agencies.”