FOREIGN INTEL AGENCY MAY BUMP OFF HAFIZ SAEED: PAK

paid for assassination of Mumbai attacks mastermind

Pakistani authorities have written to the Punjab home department asking it to take stringent measures for security of detained Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, claiming a "foreign intelligence agency" had planned to kill him. In the letter, the National Counter Terrorism Authority said the foreign spy agency had paid Rs 80 million to two activists of a banned outfit for the assassination of Saeed. It asked the Punjab home department to ensure foolproof security for the Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief. Saeed has been under house arrest in Lahore since January 30 under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

The home department last month had extended his detention for another 30 days (till November 26) under the public safety law. The department's notification had said, "There is apprehension that Saeed shall create a law and order situation upon release". The JuD has already been declared

as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. The JuD chief carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities. Four of Saeed’s aides walk free

Four aides of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, who were detained along with the JuD chief by the government of Pakistan's Punjab province under preventative detention since January, have been released. Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain - walked free as the judicial review board refused to extend their detention. On January 31, Saeed and his four aides were detained by the Punjab government for 90 days under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, which was then extended further. However, the last two extensions were made under the 'public safety law'. The home department could not convince the board about keeping the four men in further detention.

Under the law, the government can detain a person for up to 90 days under different charges but for an extension to that detention it needs approval from the judicial review board. But Saeed's detention was again extended for another 30 days (till November 26) last month under the public safety law. The Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) has already been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. The JuD chief carries a reward of USD 10 million announced by the US for his role in terror activities.