US bans top eight LeT 'commanders'

The eight include include Mumbai terrorist attack mastermind Sajid Mir and its founder Hafiz Saeeds son.Announcing the sanctions, the US said LeT, despite being designated as a foreign terrorist organisation in January 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 November 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans, and the July 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.Individuals targeted today are based in Pakistan and involved in LeTs propaganda campaigns, financial networks, and logistic support networks, according to US.Todays targets also include military commanders directly responsible for the murderous 2008 Mumbai attacks as well as attacks on coalition and Afghan forces. Todays designations are designed to undermine LeTs leadership and support networks of LeT that have planned terrorist attacks around the world, the Treasury Department said.Todays action against LeT is Treasurys most comprehensive to date against this group and includes individuals participating in all aspects of LeTs operations - from commanders planning attacks to those managing LeTs relationships with other terrorist groups, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S Cohen said.Attacking LeTs facilitation networks is particularly important, since charitable donations LET raises in Pakistan - its primary revenue source - are used to fuel LeTs militant operations, Cohen said.