Pakistan detains alleged mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attacks

Pakistani authorities say they have detained a terror suspect blamed for a four-day militant attack on the Indian port city of Mumbai in 2008, on terror finance charges.

Hafiz Saeed was taken into custody in Punjab province on Wednesday while he was traveling from the eastern city of Lahore to the town of Gujranwala.

Shahbaz Gill, a spokesman for Punjab Governor, confirmed Saeed was arrested near Gujranwala in central Pakistan.

“The main charge is that he is gathering funds for banned outfits, which is illegal,” media outlets quoted the spokesman as saying.

Mohammad Shafiq , a counter-terrorism official said Saeed appeared before a judge and was ordered to be held in jail until the next hearing.

Saeed is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the militant group blamed by India for the Mumbai attacks, which killed more than 160 people.

Pakistan banned Saeed’s charities earlier this year and detained him, along with several close aides earlier this year. However, he has not been charged or put on trial so far.

In 2017, Saeed was put under house arrest by Pakistani authorities and subsequently released after being cleared of charges against him, drawing strong criticism from New Delhi.

In recent months, the government also took over schools, mosques, seminaries and all properties linked to Saeed's charities and froze their assets.

SS