US sanctions eight key figures of LeT

Washington, Aug 30 (IANS) The US Thursday imposed sanctions on eight key figures of Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based terrorist group with alleged links to the Taliban, the Haqqani Network and Al Qaeda.

The men targeted by the US treasury department include those involved in LeT's propaganda campaigns, financial networks, logistic support networks as well as military commanders directly responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and attacks on NATO-led coalition and Afghan forces, reported Xinhua.

The treasury department said the move aimed to undermine LeT's leadership and support networks that have planned terrorist attacks around the world.

"Today's action against LeT is the Treasury's most comprehensive to date against this group and includes individuals participating in all aspects of LeT's operations -- from commanders planning attacks to those managing LeT's relationships with other terrorist groups," said David Cohen, under secretary of treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.

"Attacking LeT's facilitation networks is particularly important, since charitable donations LeT raises in Pakistan -- its primary revenue source -- are used to fuel LeT's militant operations," he said in a statement.

The US treasury department said the group was banned by the Pakistani government in January 2002, but its terrorist activities have continued.

"LeT has conducted numerous terrorist acts against Pakistani, Indian, Afghan and US interests, and is responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans, and the July 2006 Mumbai train bombings that killed more than 180 people," the agency said.

The group, branded by US state department as a foreign terrorist organisation in December 2001 and added to the United Nations 1267/1989 list of sanctioned terrorists in May 2005, has been a frequent target of US sanctions.

The men targeted are Sajjid Mir, Abdullah Mujahid, Ahmed Yaqub, Hafiz Khalid Walid, Qari Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, Amir Hamza, Abdullah Muntazir and Talha Saeed. The Treasury bars US citizens from doing business with them and freezes all of their assets under US jurisdiction.