WASHINGTON: Tightening the noose around terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, the US today designated the Pakistan-based terror group's student wing Al-Muhammadia Students a terrorist organization and slapped sanctions against its two top leaders.
Lashkar-e- Taiba was designated as a terrorist organization by the United States in the year 2001.
Since the original designation occurred, Lashkar-e-Taiba has repeatedly kept changing its name and created more front organizations in an effort to avoid sanctions, said the State Department.
"To that effect, Al-Muhammadia Students (AMS) is the student wing of Lashlar-e-Taiba," it said.
Founded in 2009, Al-Muhammadia Students group is a subsidiary of Lashkar-e-Taiba and has worked with Lashkar-e-Taiba senior leaders, they organize recruiting courses and other training activities for youth, it added.
The US Treasury Department designated two Lashkar-e-Taiba senior leaders,Muhammad Sarwarand Shahid Mahmood, as a global terrorist. Both the Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders are based in Pakistan.
"These two Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders are responsible for raising and moving funds to support the terrorist group's operations," said John E Smith, Acting Director Office of Foreign Assets Control.
"Today's action, not only aims to expose their activities, but also disrupts Lashkar-e-Taiba's financial network and ability to carry out violent terrorist attacks," he added.
The Treasury said Sarwar has been a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba official in Lahore for more than 10 years and has held various leadership roles in the group, including his current position as Lashkar-e-Taiba's 'emir'(chief) for Lahore, a position he has held since at least January 2015.
IS Threat to India: US Embassy
As the Lashkar-e-Taiba of Lahore, Sarwar maintains relationships with Lashkar-e-Taiba's most senior leaders. In 2012 and 2013, Sarwar worked with Lashkar-e-Taiba's foreign affairs chief Hafiz Abdul Rahman Makki, and in 2013, Makki requested Sarwar for money to pay for his travel within Pakistan, it added.
Sarwar has also been directly involved in Lashkar-e-Taiba fund raising activities and also uses the formal financial system in Pakistan to raise and move funds on behalf of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Treasury said.
For example, in 2008, he led delegations of businessmen to Lashkar-e-Taiba, which facilitated the purpose of seeking donations for the group, and as of 2009, Sarwar was one of two officials who headedLashkar-e-Taiba's finance wing in Lahore, it added.
On the other hand, Mahmood has been a longstanding seniorLashkar-e-Taiba member based in Karachi, and has been affiliated with the group since 2007.
AMandeep
