US freezes assets of LeT operatives linked with Mumbai attacks

Washington, July 2 (ANI): The United States has decided to freeze the assets of three Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commanders, who were supposedly behind the November 2008 Mumbai carnage.

Sanctions would also be imposed on an Al-Qaeda backer, Ameen Al-Peshawari, The Nation reports.

According to the US Treasury, three top LeT commanders, Arif Qasmani, Mohammed Yahya Mujahid, and Nasir Javaid played an important role in the Mumbai terror attack.

Sources said Qasmani is chief coordinator of LeT, while Mujahid heads the media wing of the banned terror outfit.

Qasmani has also been linked to the July 2006 Mumbai train bombing in which 186 people were killed, and the Samjhouta Express blast that killed 68 persons.

The US' decision to ban the LeT and Al-Qaeda operatives comes days after the United Nations (UN) added Al-Peshawari, Qasmani and Mujahid to its blacklist, which includes many other Al-Qaeda and Taliban operatives.

A statement issued by the US Treasury asked all the member nations of the UN to freeze the assets of all the persons listed by it, and impose other sanctions also.

"All UN member states are obligated to freeze the funds and other assets of listed individuals and entities included on the blacklist, and to apply other sanctions such as travel ban and arms embargo," the statement said. (ANI)