The United States has placed Pakistan's Milli Muslim League (MML) political party on its list of foreign terrorist organizations for its alleged links to a militant group blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The State Department said in a statement on April 2 that it had designated Milli Muslim League (MML) as a foreign terrorist group because it was operating as fronts for Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) which is also on the U.S. terrorist list.

Another group allegedly linked to LeT and operating in Indian-administered Kashmir, Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir, was also added to the U.S. terrorist list.

"These designations seek to deny LeT the resources it needs to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks," the State Department said, adding that the groups' property subject to U.S. jurisdiction had been blocked and U.S. persons were prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them.

The United States and India blame Lashkar-e Taiba for an assault on the Indian financial capital in 2008 that left 166 people dead. The group’s founder, Hafiz Saeed, has denied involvement.

The United States has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Saeed, who formed the MML party last year.

Pakistan's election commission has not allowed the party to register, but its members have been participating in parliamentary elections as independent candidates.

A spokesman for MML expressed defiance toward the latest designations.

"Our party is not registered [by Pakistani authorities]... it won’t make any difference," Yahya Mujahid told the dpa news agency.

The development comes as relations between Islamabad and Washington deteriorated in recent months amid U.S. allegations that Pakistan is harboring Islamist militants who are launching attacks in neighboring Afghanistan, something which Pakistan denies.

With reporting by dpa</s>The U.S. State Department on Monday imposed sanctions on Pakistani political party the Milli Muslim League (MML), designating it and its leadership as "terrorists."

The U.S. added the Milli Muslim League and Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir as aliases of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and specifically named seven MML leaders as terrorists, according to a statement Monday.

"Today's amendments take aim at Lashkar-e-Taiba's efforts to circumvent sanctions and deceive the public about its true character," said Nathan Sales, the State Department's Counterterrorism Coordinator. "Make no mistake: Whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group."

Milli Muslim League and Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir were created last year and are linked to Hafiz Saeed, a Pakistan-based U.S.-designated global terrorist and leader of LeT.

Saeed is believed to be the mastermind of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans.

Saeed was added to the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1267 sanctions list in December 2008.

In 2012, the United States declared him a "global terrorist" and has offered a bounty of $10 million for information that would lead to his arrest.

In January 2017, Saeed established Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir after the Pakistani government banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the front organization for LeT.

In August 2017, the Islamist cleric formed a political party and named it Milli Muslim League in an effort to find a place for JuD in Pakistan's political arena.

LeT's leader has been trying to create front organizations for some time to dodge growing pressure on the terror group in Pakistan.

Following the State Department's announcement, the U.S. Treasury Department also designated seven members of the MML central leadership body for acting on behalf of LeT.

The sanctions imposed by the Treasury's Assets Control Office bar U.S. companies and U.S nationals from conducting any business with the seven individuals. The designation also blocks their financial accounts and assets.

MML came into prominence after its supported candidates, who contested by-elections in 2017, were able to secure considerable votes. The party's relatively good performance attracted the attention of other established political parties and the country's electoral body.

In October 2017, Pakistan's Election Commission barred MML from registering as a political party after Pakistan's Interior Ministry requested that MML not be allowed to participate in the elections. The ministry accused MML of serving as a front organization for JuD.

The decision, however, was contested by MML in a federal court, which last month asked the election commission to review it.

MML has several offices throughout the country and has an active presence on the internet. The party has launched a website and its social media team is actively spreading the party's messages through its Facebook and Twitter pages.

Saeed has been pushing back against growing pressure on these organizations. Monday's State Department designation comes on the heels of a court order in Lahore, directing the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan to submit a response on why they have barred JuD's humanitarian operations across the country.

In January, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) issued a directive banning individuals and groups placed on terror watch lists by Pakistan and the U.N. Security Council from collecting funds. The directive also banned those groups from arranging any political, social, welfare or religious events in the country. The directive included Saeed's JuD.

The court instructed the federal government to submit a response explaining its reasoning for the decision by April 27.</s>The United States has designated Hafiz Saeed’s political party Milli Muslim League (MML) as a foreign terrorist organisation today. The move reinforces India’s stance against Pakistan and against several other terror groups operating freely on its soil. The Ministry of External Affairs said that the Government of India had welcomed the action by the United States and also said that India stands vindicated, as Pakistan continues to be a safe haven for terror organisations. Milli Muslim League, is just a political namesake of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a terrorist organisation that was responsible for the attacks in Mumbai in 2008. Speaking to the press, MEA Spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar said, “The move by the United States is also cognizance of the fact that terrorist individuals and entities are allowed to change names and continue to operate freely under Pakistan’s control.”

The State Department of United States’ decision to designate the MML comes as a blow to Pakistan’s attempt to mainstream terror outfits in the region. The decision also thwarts Pakistan’s claim to paint MML as a political organisation. The United States also designated seven members of the MML’s central leadership as terrorists. Another terror outfit called Tehreek-e-Azadi -e-Kashmir was also added to the list of terror organisations. Designating both MML and Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir as terrorist organisations, Nathan A Sales, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the State Department in the United States said that the MML and TAJK were created as a facade of the LeT. The Trump administration has also lashed out at Pakistan for allowing such organisations to operate freely on its soil.

The LeT was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group on December 26, 2001. Its leader, Saeed, is also designated as an SDGT. However, MML or Milli Muslim League was founded by Jamat-ud-Dawa Chief Hafiz Saeed in early 2017. Saeed who was under house arrest until November 24th, last year, had also announced that MML would contest 2018 general elections in Pakistan.

But what does this mean for India? This is not much of a geopolitical significance for India, says A.S. Dulat, former Chief of Research Wing & Analysis. Speaking to the Financial Express Online he also added, “Since this is Pakistan’s internal matter, it is the Courts and the judiciary in Pakistan that decides whether it can contest elections”.

The MML which acts as a political arm of the existing terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Tiaba tries to soft paddle terrorism through spreading Safaist ideas. Though it has created several frontal organisations, United States affirmed that it shall remain to be designated as a terror organisation. This move by the United States comes just a day after MML was asked by Pakistan’s Election Commission to produce a clearance certificate by the Interior Ministry, to register itself as a political party.

Pakistan’s Election Commission had barred MML from contesting the elections, but the Islamabad High Court had ruled out all terror links with MML and had ordered the EC to register the party. Saeed had approached the court after Pakistan started crackdown against Saeed due to international pressure.</s>ISLAMABAD: The United States has placed a Pakistani political group called the Milli Muslim League (MML) on its list of foreign terrorist organisations, saying it was merely an alias for a militant group blamed for a bloody 2008 attack in India.

The Milli Muslim League is controlled by Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, who has a US$10 million U.S. bounty on his head. The group shot to prominence after fielding a candidate in a September 2017 by-election to fill a seat vacated by deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Saeed is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, which is also on the U.S. terrorist list and blamed by the United States and India for a four-day militant attack on the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008 in which 166 people were killed.

Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the attack.

The U.S. State Department said the Milli Muslim League alias had been added to the LeT's designations as a terrorist group.

"These designations seek to deny LeT the resources it needs to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks," the State Department said in a statement.

"Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence," it added.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Saeed was placed under house arrest in January 2017 after years of living freely in Pakistan but a court ordered his release in November 2017.

He was not available for comment on Tuesday.

India welcomed the U.S. decision saying Pakistan has failed to crack down on militants.

"Terrorist individuals and entities are allowed to change names and continue to operate freely from territory under Pakistan's control," an Indian foreign office spokesman said in New Delhi.

"The designation ... highlights Pakistan's failure to fulfil its international obligation to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries, and disrupt terror financing," he added.

Pakistan has previously denied any state involvement in the Mumbai attack or links with LeT and other militant groups. It placed the LeT on a list of banned organizations in 2002.

In October 2017, Pakistan's electoral commission barred the Milli Muslim League from contesting elections, saying it had links to militant groups and could not be registered.

In March 2018 the Islamabad High Court ordered the election commission to register the party.

Under pressure from the United States, the United Nations and international institutions to crack down on terrorist financing, Pakistan drew up secret plans last December for a "takeover" of charities linked to Saeed.

Saeed has since taken the government decision to court.

Saeed's freedom in Pakistan, where he holds rallies, has been a thorn in Pakistan's relations with old rival India and the United States.</s>The United States placed Pakistan's Milli Muslim League political party on its list of foreign terrorist organisations on Monday, linking it with militants that the United States and India blame for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.

ISLAMABAD: The United States placed Pakistan's Milli Muslim League political party on its list of foreign terrorist organisations on Monday, linking it with militants that the United States and India blame for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.

Controlled by Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, who has a US$10 million (£7.1 million) U.S. bounty on his head, the Milli Muslim League shot to prominence after fielding a candidate in a September 2017 by-election to fill a seat vacated by deposed Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Saeed is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, which is also on the U.S. terrorist list and blamed by the United States and India for four days of shootings and bombings in Mumbai in 2008.

Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks.

"These designations seek to deny LeT the resources it needs to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks," the State Department said in a statement.

"Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence," the statement added.

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to request for comment.

In October 2017, Pakistan's electoral commission barred the Milli Muslim League from contesting elections, saying the party had links with militant groups and could not be registered with the commission.

In March 2018 the Islamabad High Court ordered the election commission register the party.

Under pressure from the United States, the United Nations and international institutions to crack down on terrorist financing, Pakistan drew up secret plans last December for a "takeover" of charities linked to Saeed.

Saeed has since taken the government decision to court.

Saeed was placed under house arrest in January 2017 after years of living freely in Pakistan but a court ordered his release in November 2017.

Saeed's freedom in Pakistan, where he holds public rallies, has been a thorn in Islamabad's relations with India and the United States.</s>WASHINGTON: The United States said Monday night it had added the Milli Muslim League (MML) and Tehreek-e-Azadi-e-Kashmir (TAJK) to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTO), reasoning that both were fronts for banned terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).



"The aliases [MML and TAJK] have been added to LeT’s designations as an FTO under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224," the US State Department website said.



In a statement, Ambassador Nathan Sales, the coordinator for counterterrorism at the department, explained that the Monday revisions “show that the US government is not fooled by Lashkar-e-Taiba’s efforts to circumvent sanctions and deceive the public about its true character".

Both the MML and TAJK were different names of the same banned terrorist outfit, Sales said, adding that regardless of its attempts to create new facades, it would not be able to hide from the US.

“Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group.



"The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence,” it added.



The LeT's "leader, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, is also designated as an SDGT".



Pakistan's Western ally, with which relations have recently become quite bumpy, noted that American citizens were prohibited from engaging in any type of deal with either of these groups.

"US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group," the statement on the website mentioned.



It added that financial sanctions have been imposed on both the MML and TAJK, saying the "designations seek to deny LeT the resources it needs to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks".

"Among other consequences of the designations, LeT’s property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked," it said.

By changing guises, the LeT has attempted to fool the people of Pakistan as well as the global fraternity, the US said, stressing that it hopes it was clear that no matter what mask the banned terrorist organisation considers wearing, it would remain labelled as a terrorist group.



At the same time, however, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced its decision to include seven members of the MML’s top brass to the SDGT list.

"Concurrently with today’s State Department actions, the US Department of the Treasury designated seven members of the MML central leadership body for acting for or on behalf of LeT," the statement said.

It specified that members who were designated as SDGTs include "Saifullah Khalid, Muzammil Iqbal Hashimi, Muhammad Harris Dar, Tabish Qayyuum, Fayyaz Ahmad, Faisal Nadeem, and Muhammad Ehsan".



According to the Treasury Department's website, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker said: “Treasury is targeting the Milli Muslim League and a group of seven global terrorists who are complicit in Lashkar-e Tayyiba’s attempts to undermine Pakistan’s political process.”



"We will continue to target terrorist organizations like Lashkar-e Tayyiba, even when they attempt to cloak themselves as political parties or hide their extremism behind other facades.

"Those working with the Milli Muslim League, including providing financial donations, should think twice about doing so or risk exposure to US sanctions.”

The MML was formed last year and made an impressive show at the NA-120 by-election in Lahore, where its supported candidate gained the fourth place. Candidates backed by the party — since it is yet to be registered as a political party — have made similar gains in subsequent by-elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

At present, the MML is struggling to get itself registered as a political party.

On Monday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) directed the party to first obtain a security clearance certificate from the Interior Ministry after which the matter will proceed further.

The commission had earlier rejected the party's plea to get registered on the ground that its supremo, Hafiz Saeed, is a globally listed terrorist whereas organisations run under his influence, Jamaatud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation, were designated as banned organisations via a presidential ordinance.

That decision of the ECP was overturned by the Islamabad High Court which directed it to hear the party's plea properly and then decide the case.

Moreover, Saeed has challenged in the Lahore High Court the government's action against his charitable organisation.

Early February, the US had named three Pakistanis as key "terrorist facilitators", saying they worked closely with a well-known backer of Al-Qaeda, LeT, and the Taliban leader known as Shaykh Aminullah.

The Treasury Department placed Rahman Zeb Faqir Muhammad, Hizb Ullah Astam Khan, and Dilawar Khan Nadir Khan on its SDGT blacklist "in an effort to disrupt the group's ability to obtain and distribute financing".

All three were tied to Shaykh Aminullah, who has been on international terror blacklists since 2009, as per US officials, who allege that Aminullah turned the Ganj seminary — a boys school in Peshawar — into a training and recruiting base by the Taliban, LeT, and Al-Qaeda.

The three men were involved in providing financial and logistical support, explosives, and technological aid to the three Pakistan- and Afghanistan-based extremist groups, it said.</s>New Delhi: The United States on Tuesday designated Milli Muslim League (MML), a the political front of Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa a foreign terrorist organisation. The US Department of State on Tuesday brought amendments to the designation of Pakistan-based banned terrorist organization Lashkar e-Tayyiba (LeT) and also included Tehreek-e- Azadi-e Kashmir (TAJK) under the list of terror organisation.

The US also designated seven members of the MML as foreign terrorists for acting on behalf of LeT. The changes have been done to designate LeT as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224, as per a press release by the US Department of State dated April 2.

These designations seek to deny the resources it needs to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks. Among other consequences of the designations, LeT’s property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group. Usually, the citizens of the United States are prohibited to engage in any form of transactions with LeT.

“Today’s amendments take aim at Lashkar e-Tayyiba’s efforts to circumvent sanctions and deceive the public about its true character. Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence,” said Nathan A Sales, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State. The US further focused on exposing and isolating such terror organisations and terrorists and denying them access to the U.S. financial system.

It also noted that the step to include MML and TAJK under the ambit of Let would assist the law enforcement activities of the US agencies and other governments. Formed in the 1980s, LeT was responsible for the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which killed 166 people. It is further claimed in the release that LeT continues to operate freely within Pakistan, holding public rallies, raising funds, and plotting and training for terrorist attacks. The Department of State designated LeT as Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist on December 26, 2001. Its leader, Hafiz Saeed, is also designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.</s>The United States has placed a Pakistani political group called the Milli Muslim League (MML) on its list of foreign terrorist organisations, saying it was merely an alias for a militant group blamed for a bloody 2008 attack in India.

 The Milli Muslim League is controlled by Hafiz Saeed. The group shot to prominence after fielding a candidate in a September 2017 by-election to fill a seat vacated by deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

 Saeed is the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is also on the U.S. terrorist list and blamed by the United States and India for Mumbai attacks in 2008. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the attack.

 The U.S. State Department said the Milli Muslim League alias had been added to the LeT’s designations as a terrorist group.

 “These designations seek to deny LeT the resources it needs to plan and carry out further terrorist attacks,” the State Department said in a statement.

 “Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence,” it added.

 Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to request for comment.

 Saeed was placed under house arrest in January 2017 but a court ordered his release in November 2017.

 He was not available for comment on Tuesday.

 India welcomed the U.S. decision. Pakistan had placed the LeT on a list of banned organizations in 2002. In October 2017, Pakistan’s electoral commission barred the Milli Muslim League from contesting elections, saying it had links to militant groups and could not be registered.

 In March 2018 the Islamabad High Court ordered the election commission to register the party.—Reuters</s>The United States on Monday designated Lashkar-e-Taiba’s political front, the Milli Muslim League (MML), and seven of its top officials as Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

The designated officials are president of MML, Saifullah Khalid, Muzammil Iqbal Hashimi, Muhammad Harris Dar, Tabish Qayyum, Fayyaz Ahmad, Faisal Nadeem, and Muhammad Ehsan.

They were named for acting on behalf of LeT, a Pakistan-based terrorist group that was designated in December 2001, the US said in a statement.

The MML was formed in 2017 by LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks and who carries a US reward of $10 million for his arrest. He inaugurated the front’s first office in Lahore in December, and has said the League will contest elections in 2018.

Earlier on Monday, Pakistan’s election commission directed MML to get a clearance from the interior minister for its registration as a political party, and it was not clear if Islamabad, which has claimed to be opposed to the mainstreaming of jihadi outfits, will deny the certification.

“(US) treasury is targeting the Milli Muslim League and a group of seven global terrorists who are complicit in Lashkar-e Tayyiba’s (another spelling for Lashkar-e-Taiba) attempts to undermine Pakistan’s political process,” said treasury undersecretary Sigal Mandelker in a statement on Monday.

The official added: “The Milli Muslim League is not a recognised political party; further it relies on the leadership of Lashkar-e Tayyiba for guidance and direction. We will continue to target terrorist organizations like Lashkar-e Tayyiba, even when they attempt to cloak themselves as political parties or hide their extremism behind other facades. Those working with the Milli Muslim League, including providing financial donations, should think twice about doing so or risk exposure to US sanctions.”

Pakistan’s actions will be under close scrutiny in Washington DC as it is already on notice from the Trump administration for continued failure to take decisive action against terrorists based on its soil such as LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Haqqani Network.

It is also slated to go on the gray-list of the Financial Action Task Force, a secretive inter-governmental body that monitors and targets money laundering and terrorist financing, in June, in a move proposed and pushed through by the United States.

The United States has been extremely annoyed by Islamabad’s handling of Saeed and the LeT. When he was released from house arrest last year, the Trump administration threatened “repercussions” for bilateral ties if he was not immediately re-arrested and prosecuted.

As Islamabad hemmed and hawed and blamed the country’s judiciary, Saeed has remained free. He regularly mocks the US and challenges it to arrest him and continues to bear outsized influence on Pakistan’s conduct of relations with India through public calls and threats.

The US designation will deny MML access to American financial systems and prohibit American citizens from supporting it with funds or other material.</s>A political front of Mumbai 26/11 terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD) — Milli Muslim League (MML) — was designated a terrorist organisation by the United States on Tuesday. The US Department of state brought in new amendments that also included Pakistan-based banned terrorist organization Lashkar e-Taiba (LeT). In the new list, US also designated Tehreek-e- Azadi-e Kashmir (TAJK) under the list of terrorist organisations. Apart from designating Hafiz Saeed-led organisation as a terrorist organisation, the US also designated seven members of Milli Muslim League (MML) as a foreign terrorist. The members designated as foreign terrorist were said to be working for Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT).

According to the press release issued by the US Department of State on April 2, LeT was designated as the foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The LeT was also put under a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under Executive Order 13224 by the US. Following the designations, the finances to the organization have been denied to stop it from carrying out further terrorist attacks. Also, LeT’s property and interest in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, the press release added. The designation also prohibits US persons from engaging in ant sort of transactions with the group.

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As per reports, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State, Nathan A Sales said that amendments by US take aim at Lashkar e-Taiba’s efforts to circumvent sanctions and deceive the public about its true character. He said, “Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence.” The mentioned designations by the US come just a few days before Pakistan was about to go to elections. Hafiz Saeed is also said to be contesting in the upcoming Pakistan election 2018. LeT, a Pakistan-based terror organisation, formed in 1980 was held responsible for carrying out terrorist activities in Mumbai that killed 166 people. LeT was designated as Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist on December 26, 2001, by the US.

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The United States designates the Milli Muslim League and Tehreek-e-Azaadi Jammu and Kashmir, both Pakistani groups, as terrorist organisations.