US warns Pakistan of serious repercussions
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WASHINGTON - Washington strongly reacted at the release of the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba leader Hafiz Saeed from the house arrest and warned regarding the repercussions in the event the country did not take any action against him.
The White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the U.S. “strongly condemns” the release of Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. She urged his “immediate re-arrest and prosecution.”
Huckabee further added “Saeed’s release, after Pakistan’s failure to prosecute or charge him, sends a deeply troubling message about Pakistan’s commitment to combating international terrorism and belies Pakistani claims that it will not provide sanctuary for terrorists on its soil.”
“If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistan’s global reputation,” she added.
According to the State Department, Saeed was also individually designated by the United Nations under UNSCR 1267 in December 2008 following the November 2008 Mumbai attack in which 166 people, including six American citizens, were killed. LeT and several of its front organizations, leaders, and operatives remain under both State Department and Treasury Department sanctions.
Since 2012, the United States has offered a U.S. $10 million reward for information that brings Saeed to justice.
According to the local media reports, Saeed was released on Friday morning from house arrest after a court rejected to extend his detention on Wednesday.
