Germany initiates move at EU to list Masood Azhar as global terrorist

Germany has initiated a move at the European Union (EU) to designate Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, days after China blocked a bid at the United Nations to designate him so, diplomatic sources said.

Germany was in touch with several EU member-nations in this regard, the sources said.

All the 28 member-countries of the EU will have to support the move as the bloc decides on such issues under the principle of consensus.

On March 15, France imposed financial sanctions on Azhar and stated that it would work with its European partners to put the JeM chief’s name on the EU list of persons and entities involved in terror acts.

Paris’s decision came two days after China put a hold on a fresh move to designate Azhar a global terrorist by the Sanctions Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The proposal to designate Azhar under the 1267 al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UNSC was moved by France, the United Kingdom and the United States following the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. JeM had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Fourteen out of the 15 members of the UNSC supported the proposal, but China alone did not go with the move.

Source: The Hindu