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Although the NIA has filed charge-sheet against the most-wanted global terrorist, Hafiz Saeed, who masterminded the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks claiming 164 innocent lives, but India has not so far declared him a ‘terrorist’.
India had appreciated the USA and UN last year designating Pakistan based Saeed a global terrorist but it has not taken similar measure even as his Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) attacked the indian Parliament in 2001 and was indulging in terror attacks on security forces and also killing innocent people in Jammu and Kashmir.
In reply to a RTI, the Home Ministry has said there is no provision of declaring an individual as terrorist in the Indian legal system. The reply of the Home Ministry has come in response to a RTI filed by Rohit Choudhary, a resident of the border area of Ranbirsinghpura in Jammu.
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The reply said that Hafiz Saeed is a wanted accused in Mumbai terror attack case being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
However, security agencies take action against individuals if they are found involved in terrorist acts, as defined under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), the Home Ministry added.
Saeed, the founder of the LeT, is listed on the NIA’s “Most Wanted” list and India has banned his organisation. He was involved not only in the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, but also in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings and the 2001 Indian Parliament attack.
Indian government has repeatedly been asking Pakistan to hand over Saeed to India for his trial for various terror activities but Pakistan has refused to oblige on one pretext or the other.
The UN, UK, European Union, Russia and Australia have also banned his LeT.
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