On the wake of the tenth anniversary of the 26/11 attacks, the United States Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) Program has reportedly announced a reward of up to $5 million for any information leading to the arrest of any individual in any country who might have committed, conspired or aided in the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.
The US announces reward
A total of 166 people, including six American citizens were killed after 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists carried out a set of attacks at Mumbai’s strategic locations. While nine of the ten terrorists were killed during police encounter at the time, Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving terrorist was captured and later executed in 2012. The State Department has asked Pakistan to implement United Nations sanctions against the LeT, reported The Economic Times.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement, “It is an affront to the families of the victims that, after ten years, those who planned the Mumbai attack have still not been convicted for their involvement.”
On behalf of the government of the United States of America & all Americans, I express my solidarity with the people of India & the city of Mumbai on the 10th anniversary of the Mumbai terrorist attack: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pic.twitter.com/3i9iLLCSPj
— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2018
US State Department in a statement clarified the fact that the United States government is committed to bringing the people behind the Mumbai attacks to justice. It also said that in April 2012, the Department of State announced rewards for information regarding LeT founder Hafiz Mohammad Saeed and another senior leader, Hafiz Abdul Rahman.
The State Department said that anyone with information on the matter can contact the RFJ office via the website, e-mail ([email protected]), phone (800-877-3927 in North America), or mail (Rewards for Justice, Washington, D.C., 20520-0303, USA), reported The Indian Express.
According to an NDTV report, former CIA official Bruce Riedel told PTI, “The victims of 26/11 have yet to see the masterminds of the attack in the LeT and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) face justice; unfortunately, that is virtually impossible in Pakistan”. He added that another attack like this can escalate to a full-blown out war.
The US announcement comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US Vice President Mike Pence met in Singapore.
In 2001, the Department of State declared LeT as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and in May 2005, the United Nations 1267 Sanctions Committee added LeT to the Consolidated UN Security Council Sanctions List, reported the daily.
Earlier, a US Federal Court indicted David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Rana for their support of LeT terrorist operations. Both were convicted for their involvement in the 2008 Mumbai attacks and another subsequent proposed attack on a newspaper in Denmark.
USA stops aid for Pakistan
Recently, US President Donald Trump reiterated that $1.3 billion aid to Pakistan will remain suspended till it takes actions against the militant safe haven in the country. This came days after he said that Pakistan does not do “a damn thing” for the US.
The US also alleged that the Pakistani government had helped Osama bin Laden hide near Abbottabad. Over the last few days, Donald Trump has accused Pakistan of not helping the US in its fight against terrorism.
Also Read: We Will Never Forget: Heroes Of 26/11 Mumbai Terrorist Attack
