Security analysts feel US bounty will force Hafiz Saeed into hiding

New Delhi/Chandigarh, Apr 3 (ANI): Security analysts on Tuesday said the 10 million dollars bounty announced by the United States Government on 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed would tone down his activities against India.

Renowned defence analyst Bharat Verma said the threat of this bounty would push Saeed's operations underground, which would in turn benefit India.

"The fact that there is a 10 million dollar bounty on his head, what will happen now is that he will have to go underground because in case he is sighted the United States and his allies will get hold of him dead or alive," Verma told the media in New Delhi.

"That much, what will happen for India is that he will go underground, his activities will be tone down against India and the rallies that he has been having to propagate his cause against India and create hatred for India in Pakistan are going to get limited," he added.

Terming Hafiz Saeed to be a 'local Pakistani gangster', Verma said that this US bounty was a big favour to India and also retaliation against the death of foreigners in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

"Hafiz Saeed is a local Pakistani gangster operating between India and Afghanistan and India is incapable of taking action on its own. Hafiz Saeed does not impact so much on the international community or the United States," said Verma.

"Therefore, by putting a bounty on him, the United States actually is doing a favour to India that we have taken action against one of the persons who was responsible for 26/11 because foreigners also died in that," he added.

Meanwhile, another security analyst, Lieutenant General (retd.) P.N. Hoon, said the Indian Government had always been too soft in taking action against militancy.

"Imagine them taking this action because of some their citizens being killed and for other atrocities that have been created by the Lashkar-e-Toiba chief, what have we done so far? It's amazing, but I would like to say that it is amazing but there has to be power behind a country to act like this for the people. We, at the moment, I am afraid, are bickering over few things and not looking at the oversize picture," he said.

Lieutenant General (retd.) Hoon further said that India should present a strong message to Pakistan and not succumb to diplomatic dialogue after every militant attack.

"We have to be very careful about Pakistan also because we have to be friendly but let them know that friendship does not mean that we get punched all over the country every time and they take no action," said Lieutenant General (retd.) Hoon.

"I think we have to send a message to Pakistan also that we are concerned and they also should be concerned about the terrorism that is going on and their country, how its bleeding and I think we are on the right line and American policy in this it has been friendly that they have proved that these people have attacked us, but what have we done?" he added.

The United States has declared a bounty of 10 million dollars on Saeed under its Rewards for Justice programme.

Pakistan-based Hafiz Saeed is the founder of one of the deadliest terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the chief of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).

Saeed is believed to be the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in which 166 people, including six Americans, were killed. He is on India's most wanted list. (ANI)