Pakistan arrests four aides of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, charges them with 'terror financing'

Lahore: Pakistani authorities on Thursday arrested four aides of terror accused Hafiz Saeed, the suspected mastermind of a four-day militant attack on Mumbai in 2008, on terrorism financing charges, counter-terrorism police said. Saeed, arrested on the same charges, has been on judicial remand since July, a move welcomed by US President Donald Trump who wants Pakistan to do more to crack down on militancy. But Saeed’s arrest came just ahead of a visit to Washington by prime minister Imran Khan and was seen by India as a ploy to smooth the way before a meeting with Trump. [caption id=“attachment_4283139” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Hafiz Saeed. AFP[/caption] Thursday’s arrests come ahead of a meeting next week of the Financial Action Task Force (FAFT), a global watchdog, which will review progress made by Pakistan on controlling terror financing and money laundering. Pakistan, included on a so-called grey list compiled by the FATF, has been under increasing pressure to stop the financing of militant groups. The four aides will appear before a trial court on Friday, police said in a statement. Saeed, designated a terrorist by the United States and the United Nations, is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba, or Army of the Pure, the militant group blamed by the United States and India for the Mumbai attacks, which killed more than 160 people. The United States has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Saeed’s conviction. He has denied any involvement and said his network, which includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services, has no ties to militant groups.