Jamatud Dawa (JD) chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed has said that the group was against suicide attacks and had no links with al Qaeda.
In an interview with a private TV channel, he said JD had nothing against the US or India and was in agreement with religious scholars who had issued edicts against suicide attacks. “There is no room for terrorism in Islam and it is allowed neither against Muslims nor non-Muslims,” he said. He regretted that the government had put him behind bars o please the Indian government.
“I was released on the orders of a high court. Later, the Supreme Court also ruled in my favour. I have no hand in the Mumbai attacks nor any case has been proven against me, but I am still being kept under house arrest,” he added. Saeed said the government had so far changed six judges to prevent his release. He said JD had no problem with India.
“The only point of irritancy is Kashmir as we do not think Indian occupation of Kashmir is justifiable and we have raised the issue at all forums,” he said. The JD chief said he had been openly criticising Indian occupation of Kashmir and this was the central point of conflict between the Indian government and JD. He said Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was a JD scholar and had nothing to do with the Mumbai attacks nor any case had been proven against him.
“But the government has taken him into custody under international pressure. We support the independence movement in the Indian-held Kashmir (IHK). India has underplayed the Kashmir issue using its economic might. Taking full advantage of 9/11, India has secured a successful entry in Afghanistan and is hatching conspiracies to destabilise Balochistan and the country at large,” he said.
Saeed said all institutions being run by JD were registered and aimed at relief and welfare works. To a question, he said JD had no office in Afghanistan and was not “a B team of the army.” “We support and love our armed forces as they have defended the country,” he said, adding that no institution or organisation was assisting JD.
JD not linked to suicide bombing: Hafiz Saeed
