India Has Sent Extradition Request For 26/11 Attack Mastermind Hafiz Saeed: MEA

Hafiz Saaed has been imprisoned in Pakistan since 2019 after being convicted in various terror finance charges along with other JuD leaders for several years.

26/11 Attack Mastermind Hafiz Saeed.

Source : Getty

India has formally asked that Pakistan hand over Hafiz Saeed, the architect of the Mumbai terror attacks on November 26, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, news agency ANI reported. Even as his son, Talha Saeed, has announced his intention to run in the upcoming Pakistan's general elections, the infamous figure, Hafiz Saeed remains a wanted terrorist in India. Hafiz Saaed has been imprisoned in Pakistan since 2019 after being convicted in various terror finance charges along with other leaders of the outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) for several years.

On extradition request to Pakistan to hand over 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: "The person in question is wanted in numerous cases in India. He is also a UN-proscribed terrorist. In this regard, we have conveyed a request along with relevant supporting documents to the Government of Pakistan to extradite him to India to face trial in a particular case. We have been flagging the issue of activities, that he's been wanted for. This is a recent request."

#WATCH | On extradition request to Pakistan to hand over 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi says, "The person in question is wanted in numerous cases in India. He is also a UN-proscribed terrorist. In this regard, we have conveyed a request along with… pic.twitter.com/L5K1EvmFdM

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2023

Hafiz Saeed has been imprisoned and freed multiple times in the last decade, although he denies being involved in armed activities. The JuD, founded by Hafiz Saeed, is the front organisation for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is accused of carrying out the 26/11 Mumbai assault in 2008, which murdered 166 people, including six Americans.

The LeT terrorist group had been active in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is divided between India and Pakistan, for years.

Notably, India has frequently requested Hafiz Saeed's extradition from Pakistan in order for him to stand prosecution for the Mumbai attacks, but the lack of an extradition treaty between India and Pakistan complicates matters.

A Pakistani court sentenced Hafiz Saeed to 31 years in jail in two charges of terrorism funding in April 2022.

Saeed was found guilty of many violations in both trials, but it was unclear how much jail time he would face given his present detention and the sentences running simultaneously, according to Al Jazeera.