Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi

Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi
Lashkar-e-Taiba
Personal details
Born 1960 (age 57–58)
Pakistan
Nationality Pakistan

Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhavi[1] (born c. 1960), is a top leader of the Kashmiri terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba and currently serves as Supreme Commander of operations in Kashmir and as a member of the freedom fighting group's General Council. He is listed on India's NIA Most Wanted list.

Lakhvi, like his contemporary Hafiz Saeed, is the object of much debate between Pakistan and India, with little of this being based upon known facts . In the publicly available confession of Ajmal Kasab, Lakhvi's name is mentioned as 'Chacha Zaki' (Uncle Zaki).[2]

Little is known about Lakhvi, but he was said to be 52 years old as of December 2008, and was allegedly born in the Okara district of Punjab, Pakistan.[3] He has allegedly directed military actions in Chechnya, Bosnia, Iraq and South-east Asia and is referred to as 'Chachu', or Uncle, by young trainees.[3][4]

In 1999 at a three-day annual congregation held at Muridke, he is alleged to have explained the reasons for continued missions against the Indian Army in Kashmir, in the aftermath of the Kargil War: "After the Pakistani withdrawal from Kargil and the Nawaz-Clinton statement in Washington, it was important to boost the morale of the Kashmiri people. These missions were initiated to teach India a lesson as they were celebrating after the Kargil war."[5] He said that the next target would be New Delhi.[6]

In 2006, he allegedly asked LeT's members to begin training operatives for more operations.[3] Indian officials claim Lakhvi also oversaw Azam Cheema, who has been accused of being a leader in the 2006 bombing of the Mumbai rail network that killed more than 200 and left 700 injured.[3]

In May 2008, the US Treasury Department announced that it had frozen the assets of four Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders including Lakhvi.[4]

Indian allegations of involvement in November 2008 Mumbai Attacks

On December 3, 2008 Indian officials named him as one of four possible major planners behind the November 2008 Mumbai Attacks.[7] He reportedly offered to pay the family of Ajmal Kasab the sum of Rs.150,000 for his participation in the attacks.[8] On December 7, 2008 Pakistani armed forces arrested Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi in a raid on an LeT training camp near Muzafarabad in Pakistani Kashmir.[9] He was among 12 people detained.[10] Pakistan confirmed the arrest but refused to hand over any of its citizens to Indian authorities.[11] Officials stated that any Pakistani citizen accused of involvement in the attack would be tried in Pakistan.[12]

On February 12, 2009 Rehman Malik, Interior Minister, stated that Lakhvi was still in custody and under investigation as the foremost mastermind behind the attacks.[13][14]

On 25 November 2009, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court formally charged seven suspects, including LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, with planning and helping execute the Mumbai attacks, an action that came a day before the first anniversary of the brazen assault.[15]

On 18 December 2014, the Pakistani anti-terrorism court granted bail to Lakhvi in the Mumbai attacks case against payment of surety bonds worth Rs. 500,000.[16] On December 19, Lakhvi's bail was rejected by the high court.[17] This step was called 'positive' by the Indian government[18] On 7 January 2015; Lakhvi's bail was rejected by the Supreme Court[19][20] and the case referred back to the high court, who reinstated the bail;[21] The surety bond required from Lakhvi had a value of US $2,300. Lakhvi was released from jail on bail on 10 April 2015.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "Pakistan Court Adjourns Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi Hearing as 'Judge on Leave'". NDTV.com. 26 March 2015.
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEoFO3KVH5c&t=4m13s
  3. 1 2 3 4 Buncombe, Andrew (2008-12-08). "'Uncle' named as Mumbai terror conspirator". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-12-17.
  4. 1 2 "US freezes assets of Lashkar leaders". The Economic Times. 2008-05-29. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  5. ↑ "The Fidayen -- faithful to the death". Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. 1999-11-12. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  6. ↑ "Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, Ameer, Mujahideen-e-Lashker-e-Taiba". Archived from the original on 2000-01-26. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
  7. ↑ Rondeaux, Candace (2008-12-04). "Rice Increases Pressure on Pakistan". Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  8. ↑ Swami, Praveen (2008-12-01). "Pakistan now holds the key to probe: investigators". The Hindu. Retrieved 2008-12-01.
  9. ↑ Singh, Harmeet Shah (2008-12-08). "Pakistan raids camp over Mumbai attacks". CNN. Retrieved 2008-12-08.
  10. ↑ Ahmad, Munir (2008-12-08). "Pakistan arrests suspected Mumbai plotter". AP. Archived from the original on December 10, 2008. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
  11. ↑ "Pakistan snubs India over arrests". BBC News. 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  12. ↑ "Pakistan arrests Mumbai suspects". Al Jazeera. 2008-12-10. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  13. ↑ Masood, Salman (2009-02-12). "Pakistan Announces Arrests for Mumbai Attacks". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  14. ↑ Haider, Kamran (2009-02-12). "Pakistan says it arrests Mumbai attack plotters". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
  15. ↑ "Pak anti-terror court declares Lakhvi as 26/11 mastermind". Express India. 2009-11-25. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  16. ↑ "ATC approves bail of Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in Mumbai attacks case". Dawn News. 2014-12-18. Retrieved 2014-12-18.
  17. ↑ "Government detains Zakiur rehman lakhvi under maintenance of public order". Express Tribune. 2014-12-19. Retrieved 2014-12-19.
  18. ↑ "Ajit Doval terms detention of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi as 'positive'". Zee news. 2014-12-20. Retrieved 2014-12-20.
  19. ↑ "26/11 mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi to remain in jail, Pakistan Supreme Court rejects bail order". Ibnlive. 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
  20. ↑ "26/11 plotter Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi to remain in jail". Times of India. 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
  21. ↑ "Pak court grants bail to Mumbai terror attack accused Lakhvi". Yahoo! News. Yahoo!. Yahoo India. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Mumbai attack suspect Lakhvi released on bail in Pakistan". BBC News. 10 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
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