Pakistan places JeM founder under house arrest
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Dec 10, IRNA
Pakistan-Arrests
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) founder Maulana Masood Azhar has been placed under house arrest as international pressure mounted on Pakistan to act against such 'non-state actors' in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks in which Pakistani elements were reportedly found to be involved.
Restrictions were imposed yesterday on Azhar's movements and he was confined to his Bahawalpur home, which was ringed by security personnel, a television channel quoted sources in the interior ministry as saying.
The Pakistani action came even as Islamabad rejected India's demand to hand over the JeM founder along with two 1993 Bombay blasts accused -- underworld dons Dawood Ibrahim and Tiger Memon.
Masood's organization is widely believed to have close links with other major terror groups operating out of Pakistan like al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Toiba and runs a number of terror training camps.
The action against Masood came a day after security forces arrested key LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhwi, suspected to be the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, along with 20 other militants. The Pakistan Army said the crackdown against the banned militant group would continue.
"More arrests are expected," an army official said adding that operations will continue till 'desired results' are achieved.
A contingent of security personnel had been deployed outside Azhar's house since yesterday, the sources said but added that he would not be handed over to India.
No action would be taken against Masood, sources said unless India provides 'concrete evidence' of his involvement in the Mumbai attacks.
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