China blocks proposal at UN to designate LeT terrorist Sajid Mir as 'global terrorist'

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China on Friday (local time) once again put a hold on a proposal moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, Sajid Mir as a "global terrorist." He is India's most wanted terrorist and was involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The US moved the proposal and co-designated by India to blacklist Mir under the 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council as a global terrorist.

It is the third time that China has blocked an India-US proposal in recent months after Abdul Rehman Makki, LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) leader as well as Abdul Rauf Azhar, the brother of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM) chief Masood Azhar was protected by Beijing. Abdul Rehman Makki is a LeT Deputy Commander and brother-in-law of Hafiz Saeed, founder of the LeT. The UN Committee has also declared JuD, the political branch of the LeT, a terrorist front group.

Resolution 1267 provides for sanctions against individuals and entities that support or finance the acts or activities of ISIL, Al-Qaida, associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities. Sajid Mir is a top Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) Commander and is in charge of the "India Setup" of LeT. Sajid Mir is one of the masterminds of the Mumbai Terror Attack (November 26, 2008). He was responsible for the largest ever overseas LeT terror attack resulting in the death of nationals of several countries including India and Western countries.

During the attack, 175 people were killed (18 Police personnel, 122 people, 26 Foreigners and 9 terrorists) and 291 were injured ( 25 Police personnel, 243 people, 22 foreigners and one terrorist Ajmal Kasab). Mir was LeT Project Manager for the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. He, through satellite phone, instructed the terrorists involved in the attacks for executing hostages during the operation.

He is also actively involved in the launching of LeT operatives into India. He looked after the security of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi (LeT Operations Chief), responsible for anti-India terror operations. Sajid Mir was involved in overseas recruitment/training activities for LeT and travelled to UAE, Bangladesh, Canada, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Saudi Arabia in Connection with operational work. In 2003 a LeT module controlled by him was busted in Australia. Sajid Mir reportedly underwent plastic surgery in 2008.

Two Interpol notices RCN A-6269/10-2010 and A-2032/2-2019 are issued against him. India has listed him as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A], 1967, as amended in 2019 in October 2020. Pakistan arrested Sajid Mir in 2022 and sentenced him in May 2022 to 15 years on terrorist financing charges related to a charity set up by LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed.

Mir was indicted in the US District Court, Northern District of Illinois on April 21, 2011, and was charged with conspiracy to injure the property of a foreign government; providing material support to terrorists; killing a citizen outside of the US, aiding and abetting; and the bombing of places of public use. An arrest warrant was issued on April 22, 2011. Then Mir was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) in August 2012. US Department of States in November 2018 announced a reward of upto USD 5 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Mir. Federal Bureau of Investigation, in March 2019, included Mir in its most wanted terrorist list.

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