UK defends move to block Indian efforts to get Azhar banned

New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) Britain Friday defended its move
to block India's efforts to get Jaish-e-Mohammad founder
Maulana Masood Azhar proscribed by the UN Security Council,
saying more evidence was needed to put him on the terror list.

"We did not resist or oppose...We need time to gather
more evidence against him (Azhar) so that we can defend the
case in court," British High Commissioner to India Sir Richard
Stagg told reporters here.

He was responding to a question on Britain and China
blocking India's efforts to put Azhar, released by New Delhi
in exchange for hostages of the hijacked IC-814 flight, on the
UNSC terror list.

However, New Delhi feels the move by the UK was to curry
favours with Pakistan.

Britain knows that terrorism affecting it comes from
Pakistan and feels it could deal with such a problem by
keeping Islamabad in good humour, India believes.

Meanwhile, sources here said India is making all efforts
to get Azhar, along with two top Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists --
Azam Cheema and Abdur Rehman Makki, banned by the UN Security
Council under its Resolution 1267 of December last year. PTI
DDC
PMR
NNNN