World
Pakistani court jails Islamist Hafiz Saeed for an extra 31 years
A Pakistani court has jailed Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, founder of the militant group blamed by the United States and India for a deadly 2008 attack in India, for 31 years in connection with terrorism financing, court documents showed.
Saeed was found guilty of multiple breaches in two cases but it was not immediately clear how much jail time the new verdict would entail given his current incarceration and the fact that his sentences run concurrently.
“The sentences awarded to convict Hafiz Muhammad Saeed run concurrently of this case and of previously awarded, if any,” a the court said in an order, dated April 7, that was seen by Reuters on Friday.
Saeed, founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, is already in jail having been found guilty on multiple similar charges in 2020.
Saeed has been arrested and released several times over the past decade. He denies any involvement with militancy, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which gunmen who slipped into Mumbai by boat from Pakistan killed 160 people, including Americans.
The United States offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to his conviction.
The latest sentencing comes as Pakistan tries to avoid blacklisting by the global dirty money watchdog the Financial Action Task Force, which judges a country’s ability to combat illicit financing, including to militant organisations.
Pakistan has been on the watchdog’s “grey list” since 2018.
India has repeatedly demanded that Saeed be handed over for trial for his suspected role in the Mumbai attack but Pakistan has refused to do so.
India has not commented on Saeed’s new prison sentence but late on Friday it declared his son, Hafiz Talha Saeed, a “terrorist” under its Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
India said Talha Saeed, a cleric living in the Pakistani city of Lahore, had been actively involved in recruitment, funding, planning and execution of attacks in India and on Indian interests in Afghanistan.
“The central government believes that Hafiz Talha Saeed is involved in terrorism and he should be notified as a terrorist under the said Act,” the Indian government said in a notification.
India has for decades accused old rival Pakistan of supporting Islamist militants in attacks on Indian targets throughout the region. Pakistan denies that and accuses India of supporting separatist rebels in Pakistan.
World
Trump says United States will get uranium from Iran
One of Trump’s central objectives in launching military strikes against Iran was to ensure Tehran does not develop a nuclear weapon.
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States would get enriched uranium from Iran, as the two countries struggle to reach an agreement on ending the Gulf war, Reuters reported.
“We’re going to get it,” Trump told a reporter as he left a White House event.
One of Trump’s central objectives in launching military strikes against Iran was to ensure Tehran does not develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has yet to hand over more than 900 pounds (408 kg) of highly enriched uranium.
World
Trump says Iran “should wave the white flag of surrender”
When asked what Iran would need to do to violate the ceasefire, Trump said: “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know … They know what not to do.”
President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed Iran’s military capability and said Tehran “should wave the white flag of surrender” but is too proud to do so, Reuters reported.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Iran’s military has been reduced to firing “peashooters” and that Tehran privately wants to make a deal despite its public sabre-rattling.
“They play games, but let me just tell you, they want to make a deal. And who wouldn’t, when your military is totally gone?” he said.
Trump heaped praise on the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports in the region. “It’s like a piece of steel. Nobody’s going to challenge the blockade. And I think it’s working out very well,” he said, read the report.
When asked what Iran would need to do to violate the ceasefire, Trump said: “Well, you’ll find out, because I’ll let you know … They know what not to do.”
Trump said Iran “should save the white flag of surrender.”
“If this were a fight, they’d stop it,” said Trump.
World
Secret Service says it exchanged gunfire with armed suspect near White House
The suspect was not on the White House property, Quinn said.
The U.S. Secret Service said on Monday its officers confronted an armed and “suspicious individual” near the White House who later fired at them before fleeing on foot and being shot by law enforcement, Reuters reported.
The incident led to a brief lockdown at the White House.
Agents patrolling the outer perimeter of the White House complex identified a person who Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn said was a “suspicious individual that appeared to have a firearm.”
He briefly fled on foot after being approached by Secret Service officers and fired in their direction, Quinn said at a press conference.
Secret Service then fired at the suspect who was hit and subsequently hospitalized, Quinn added.
Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade transited through the area “not long before” the incident, Quinn said. There was no indication that the suspect intended to approach Vance’s motorcade, the Secret Service deputy director said.
A juvenile bystander was hit by the suspect but did not receive any life-threatening injuries and was being treated at a hospital, Quinn added.
Agents observed “visual print of a firearm” in considering the individual’s behavior as suspicious when he was spotted, Quinn told reporters.
The suspect was not on the White House property, Quinn said.
Law enforcement have been on alert in recent days in the U.S. capital following a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner late last month over which a man has been arrested, read the report.
Quinn was asked if Monday’s incident was linked to “other recent attempts” on President Donald Trump’s life. Trump was in the White House when this incident unfolded.
“Whether or not it was directed to the president or not, I don’t know but we will find out,” Quinn said.
The Secret Service deputy director confirmed that a weapon was recovered from the suspect but did not elaborate.
The Secret Service said earlier its personnel were on the scene of the officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C.
The DC Police Department was handling the probe.
-
World5 days agoTrump says US could restart Iran strikes ‘if they misbehave’
-
Regional4 days agoIran says it has received US response to its latest offer for talks
-
Business5 days agoAfghan economic commission approves 12 major development projects across key sectors
-
Sport4 days agoAfghanistan set for Maldives four-nation tournament
-
Latest News5 days agoUN warns funding cuts are slowing mine clearance efforts in Afghanistan
-
Business4 days agoKazakhstan grain exports to Afghanistan jump sharply
-
Latest News5 days agoAfghan officials say media should align with Islamic and national values
-
Tahawol4 days agoTahawol: Efforts for US-Iran agreement
