LeT chief's house arrest extended by two months

Rezaul H Laskar

Lahore, Mar 9 (PTI) Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Mohammad
Saeed's house arrest in connection with the Mumbai attacks was
extended by two months Monday after the militant leader was
produced before a Pakistani court along with five others for
the first time since his detention nearly three months ago.

The judicial review board of the Lahore High Court,
comprising three judges, extended the house arrest of
59-year-old Saeed, also the leader of the banned Jamaat-ud
Dawah, and three of his key aides -- Haji Amir Hamza, Col
(retd) Nazir Ahmed and Mufti Abdur Rehman -- by 60 days.

The judges also directed authorities to pay them Rs
25,000 as a "livelihood allowance" during the period of their
detention.

However, they did not accede to the authorities's request
to prolong the house arrest of two other JuD leaders, Qazi
Kashif Niaz and Qari Yasin Baloch, as well and ordered that
they be freed.

With the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket squad in
the heart of the city a week back fresh in their minds,
security personnel left nothing to chance. The six JuD leaders
were ferried to the court in armoured vehicles.

The judges initially reserved their order after hearing
the counsel for the militant leaders and government and
announced their decision later in the afternoon.

The JuD chief and the other militant leaders were placed
under house arrest on December 12 last year under the
Maintenance of Public Order ordinance, which allows a person
to be held for up to 90 days.

The authorities had sought an extension in their house
arrest as it was set to expire on March 11.

Security personnel in plain clothes formed a ring around
the courtroom in which the militant leaders were produced
before the review board. Heavily armed policemen were deployed
outside the court and around the entire building as well.

Police also reportedly removed some JuD activists, who
had gathered outside the court.

Earlier, Saeed's lawyer Zafar Iqbal told reporters that
the authorities had sought an extension of his house arrest
without giving any valid reasons for his detention. He alleged
that the request for extending their detention was "based on
foreign media reports."

Iqbal claimed the authorities had no grounds for holding
the JuD leaders.

Responding to a petition filed by Saeed's wife Maimoona,
the Lahore High Court last week asked Punjab's Home Department
to give the reasons for his detention within seven days.

Four other LeT operatives -- Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Zarar
Shah, Abu al Qama and Hamad Amin Sadiq -- are currently in the
custody of the Federal Investigation Agency following their
arrest in connection with the Mumbai attacks. PTI RHL
DEP
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