Israel lists Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terror organisation
Israel has listed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as a terror organisation to symbolise the marking of 15th year of commemoration of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, in which 166 people were killed while another 238 were injured, Israeli embassy in New Delhi said in a statement on Tuesday.
The listing has been done by Israel on its own, without any request from India.
“Despite not being requested by the Government of India to do so, the state of Israel has formally completed all necessary procedures and has satisfied all required checks and regulations to the result of introducing Lashkar-e-Taiba into the Israeli list of illegal terror organisations,” Israeli embassy said.
Elaborating on decision to list LeT as a terror group, Israeli embassy said while it “only lists terror organisations who are actively operating against it from within or around its borders, or in a similar manner to India – those globally recognised by UNSC (United Nations Security Council) or the US state department; the Israeli ministries of defense and foreign affairs, have jointly worked in the last few months towards an expediated and extraordinary listing of the Lashkar-e-Taiba organisation on this date, to highlight the importance of a Unified Global Front in combating terrorism.”
The development comes at a time when Israel has also asked India to designate Hamas, which its forces are fighting in Gaza after October 7 attack in which thousands of Hamas fighters entered towns in Israel and killed over 1,400 people.
In retaliation, Israel has declared a war Hamas and has bombarded its locations in Gaza, in which over 11,000 people have been killed so far.
Israeli ambassador to New Delhi Naor Gilon said in October last week in a media briefing that “The important countries for us are with us. These are the democracies of the world. Having said that…I think it is also time to officially designate Hamas in India as a terror organisation”.
It is not known yet if India will reciprocate to Israel’s move to list LeT.
The Israeli embassy said that “Lashkar-e-Taiba is a deadly and reprehensible terror organization, responsible for the murder of hundreds of Indian civilians as well as others. Its heinous actions on November 26, 2008, still reverberate in force, through all peace seeking nations and societies”.
“The state of Israel offers its sincere condolences to all victims of terrorism and to the survivors and bereaved families of the Mumbai attacks, including those in Israel. We stand with you united in the hope for a better peaceful future”, it added.
Founded in 1990 by Mohammad Hafiz Saeed in Mudrike in Pakistan, LeT’s primary goal is to attack Indian troops in Kashmir but over the years it is considered one of the deadliest Pakistan backed terror organisation as it has carried out multiple bomb blasts in India’s various cities, and created proxy outfits and sleeper cells.
Both UNSC and US have designated LeT as an international terror organisation in 2005 and 2001 respectively.
Due to political pressure from the United States and India, LeT was formally banned in Pakistan on January 13, 2002. Nevertheless, it was able to continue its terrorist operations in the Kashmir territory and has since become more powerful with the support of Pakistani Army and spy agency – ISI, according to Indian intelligence officials.
It’s charitable front, Jamaat-ud-Dawa collects funds in the name of serving people, which are then used for terror activities, Indian officials added.
Source » hindustantimes.com
