From Pak jail, Abdul Rehman Makki releases video; Know what he said on Al Qaeda links, Osama Bin Laden & listing as global terrorist
"I believe that the grounds for my listing are based on heresy and disinformation by the Indian government. I never met Osama Bin Laden, Ayman Al-Zawahiri or Abdullah Azam as alleged by some propaganda reports," UN-designated terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki said.
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Islamabad, Jan 20: Days after the United Nations Security Council added Abdul Rehman Makki to its list of designated terrorists, the Pakistan-based deputy leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) released a video from the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, denying any links with Al-Qaeda.
"I believe that the grounds for my listing are based on heresy and disinformation by the Indian government. I never met Osama Bin Laden, Ayman Al-Zawahiri or Abdullah Azam as alleged by some propaganda reports," Makki said.
Further, the Laskhar-E-Taiba terrorist also denounced the views and actions of Al-Qaeda and said that it was totally the opposite of what he believed in. "I denounce all kinds of terrorism and violence perpetrated by such groups. I believe in the principal position of the Pakistani government regarding Kashmir...," he said.
From Pakistani jail, UN Listed deputy leader of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Abdul Rehman Makki releases a video; Frets that due process not followed on his listing as international terrorist.
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) January 20, 2023
Regretting the UNSC decision, he said, "No due process was followed or information was provided regarding these listings." Notably, India's relentless efforts to list Pakistan-based terrorists paid off as Makki was finally listed as a 'global terrorist'. India had made listings of Pakistan-based terrorists a top priority of its United Nations tenure during 2021-22.
A total of five names were submitted by India for designation under 1267 in 2022: Abdul Rehman Makki (LeT), Abdul Rauf Asghar (Jaish-e-Mohammed, JeM), Sajid Mir (LeT), Shahid Mahmood (LeT), and Talha Saeed (LeT). Each of these five names was initially placed on technical hold by one member state (China) while all other 14 members of the Council agreed to their listing.
India and the US have already listed Makki as a terrorist under their domestic laws. He has been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalizing youth to violence and planning attacks in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.
Makki has performed various leadership roles within the LeT, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), while also playing a role in raising funds for LeT operations.
In 2020, a Pakistani anti-terrorism court convicted Makki on one count of terrorism financing and sentenced him to prison, according to the US State Department.