'UNSC Sanctions Effective Tool To Curb Terror Threats': India On UN Designating Abdul Rehman Makki As Global Terrorist

Abdul Rehman Makki was added to the list of designated terrorists by the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Security Council.

New Delhi: The Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday welcomed the decision of the United Nations Security Council of naming Abdul Rehman Makki, the deputy chief of the terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, a global terrorist. "We welcome the decision of the UN Security Council's ISIL and Al Qaida Sanctions Committee to list Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki, who is also the brother-in-law of LeT leader Hafiz Saeed. Makki has occupied various leadership roles in LeT, including raising funds for the organisation," Bagchi said.

"Threats from terrorist organisations in the region remain high and listings and sanctions by the UNSC, are an effective tool to curb such threats and dismantle terror infrastructure in the region. India remains committed to pursuing a zero tolerance approach to terrorism and will continue to press the international community to take credible, verifiable and irreversible action against terrorism,” the Spokesperson added.

The 68-year-old was added to the list of designated terrorists by the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the Security Council. Assets are frozen, travel is prohibited, and arms are embargoed for those on the list.

According to the Hindustan Times, the development occurred after China gave up its technical hold on Makki's designation as a terrorist. The technical hold was placed in July by Beijing, a permanent member of the council.

However, on Tuesday, it changed its position after 14 out of 15 members supported the Lashkar-e-Taiba member's designation as a global terrorist.

Who Is Abdul Rahman Makki?

Pakistan's Muridke-based Abdul Rehman Makki is the deputy chief or Emir, and head, respectively, of the political affairs of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Jamat ud-Dawa (JuD), which itself is a UN proscribed terrorist entity. 

Makki's father's name is Hafiz Abdullah Bahwalpuri. He is the brother-in-law of LeT/JuD chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is a UN-proscribed terrorist and also the son of one of Saeed’s maternal uncles. 

Makki also served as the director of foreign affairs of the LeT’s foreign relations department. Besides, Makki is a member of Shura (governing body) as well as JuD’s central and proselytising team.

LeT has been responsible for and had involvement in big terror strikes on India, such as the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack; the Red Fort attack on December 22, 2000; Rampur CRPF camp attack on January 1, 2008; Karan Nagar (Srinagar) attack on February 12-13, 2018; Khanpora (Baramulla) attack on May 30, 2018; the Srinagar attack on June 14, 2018; and Gurez/Bandipora attack on August 7, 2018.

Makki is the main ideologue of the organisation and had previously taught at Medina University in Saudi Arabia. In 2004, he even came out with a book describing how ‘fidayeen’ missions work compared to suicide attacks, according to the book – In Their Own Words: Understanding Lashkar-e-Tayyaba – by C. Christine Fair.

Fair also notes in his book that Makki is second only to Saeed within the LeT.

Makki was reportedly arrested by the Pakistan Government on May 15, 2019, and was kept under house arrest in Lahore. In 2020, he was convicted of terrorism financing and was sentenced to prison by a Pakistani court.