May 27, 2008 10:09 am US/Pacific
U.S. Clamps Down On Pakistani Terror Cell Leaders
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Armor piecing grenades are shown off in an al Qaeda video.
CBS News
The Bush administration moved Tuesday to impose financial sanctions against four people accused of being leaders in a Pakistan-based terrorist group linked to Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda network.
The United States says the four hold leadship positions in Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, also known as LET. The action means that any assets found in the United States belonging to those named Tuesday must be blocked. Americans also are prohibited from doing business with them.
According to Treasury, the four are: Muhammad Saeed, the group's overall leader who plays a key role in LET's operational and fundraising activities worldwide; Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, the group's chief of operations; Haji Muhammad Ashraf, LET's chief of finance; and Mahmoud Mohammad Ahmed Bahaziq, a main LET financier.
"LET is a dangerous al Qaeda affiliate that has demonstrated its willingness to murder innocent civilians. LET's transnational nature makes it crucial for governments worldwide to do all they can to stifle LET's fundraising and operations," said Stuart Levey, Treasury's undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
The U.S. government said the group has carried out numerous attacks against Indian military and civilian targets since 1993. The government of India implicated LET in the July 2006 attack on multiple Mumbai commuter trains and the December 2001 attack against the Indian Parliament, Treasury said.
LET, which was put on the United States' asset-blocking list in 2001, continues to operate in Kashmir and is involves in terrorist activities, Treasury said.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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