Pakistani court frees head of terrorist organization (1st Lead)

Jun 2, 2009, 11:10 GMT

   Islamabad - A Pakistani court on Tuesday ordered the release of the founder of an Islamic militant group accused of having links to last year's Mumbai attacks, his lawyer said.

   Hafiz Muhammad Saeed was detained and placed under house arrest in the eastern city of Lahore weeks after New Delhi claimed that the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist group he founded was involved in November 26 attacks in India's financial hub.

   Saeed also heads the Islamic charity Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), which was banned by the United Nations as a terrorist organization and a political front for the LeT in December.

   His attorney, A K Dogar, said a three-member bench of the Lahore High Court had lifted the restrictions on his movement.

   'The honourable judges ruled that his detention was illegal and unconstitutional, and therefore Hafiz Saeed and his aides should be released,' Dogar told reporters outside the courtroom.

   'Today's order is a testimony to the fact that in this country sovereignty lies in Allah Almighty and the Holy Koran,' he said, as JuD supporters raised slogans of 'God is Great.'

   Pakistani authorities have also closed the charity's offices. However, the organization has resurfaced under a new name - Falah-e-Insaniat (Human Welfare) Foundation (FIF).

   The FIF is running a massive relief operation for thousands of people displaced by the ongoing operation against Taliban in Swat and three neighbouring districts

   'The verdict by a full bench of the court proves that Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and Jamaat-ud-Dawa have no connections with terrorism,' said Yahya Mujahid, a JuD spokesman.

   Mujahid asserted that the charity did not abandon its welfare activities and would never do so.

   'Service to humanity is an obligation for Muslims and we will not back out of this duty.'

   The court ruling is likely to raise concerns in India about Pakistan's commitment to fight terrorism.

   'The verdict is going to have negative repercussions,' India's former member of the parliament and journalist Kuldip Nayar told Geo television over phone from New Delhi.

   'On one hand we are talking about the resumption of composite dialogue between India and Pakistan, and on the other a terrorist who is involved in so many attacks here in India is being released. How the talks will proceed?' he said.

   'The government of Pakistan should immediately file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Lahore High Court ruling,' added Nayar.

   New Delhi suspended peace talks with Islamabad in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, which killed more than 170 people, and linked their resumption to action against the suspects.