India welcomes US sanctions on 8 LeT leaders

, Aug 30: India on Thursday welcomed the US action slapping sanctions on Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba's (

) top eight commanders, including Mumbai terror attack mastermind Sajid Mir and its founder Hafiz Saeed's son. "We obviously welcome the steps taken to improve international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the steps taken by the US has certainly been in that direction," Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai told reporters.

Mathai made the remarks when asked by newsmen to comment on the decision of the Obama Administration. Announcing the sanctions, the US said LeT, despite being designated as a foreign terrorist organisation in Jan 2002, continues to "operate in Pakistan" and throughout the region and engage in terrorist activities worldwide.

"LeT has conducted numerous terrorist acts against Pakistani, Indian, Afghan and US interests and is responsible for the Nov 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans, and the Jul 2006 Mumbai train bombings that killed more than 180 people," the Department of Treasury said. Besides Mir, other LeT leaders slapped with sanctions are Abdullah Mujahid, Ahmed Yaqub, Hafiz Khalid Walid, Qari Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, Amir Hamza, Abdullah Muntazir, and Talha Saeed, the son of the LeT leader Saeed.

The sanctions forbid US individuals and companies from undertaking any transactions with the eight and freezes any assets they may have in the US. Individuals targeted today are based in Pakistan and involved in LeT's propaganda campaigns, financial networks and logistic support networks.

PTI