WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Three Pakistani militants sanctioned by the U.S. government were actively involved in planning terrorist attacks, the U.S. Treasury Department said.
The Treasury Department sanctioned Amanullah Afridi, a senior leader of the Pakistani militant group Laskhar-e-Jhangvi, and his associated Mati ur-Rehman for collaborating with al-Qaida. The department also designated Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior leader of Jaish-e Mohammed.
The Treasury Department blames LJ for orchestrating the capture and killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in January 2002, earning it a terrorist designation in January 2003.
JEM was characterized by the department as a terrorist group in 2001 for its role in attacks in India and Afghanistan.
In September an anti-terror court in Rawalpindi sentenced six men to life in prison for their role in a 2008 plot to kill former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf using cars laden with explosives. The six men were accused of having links to the Pakistani Taliban, LJ and JEM.
All three men were singled out by the Treasury Department for allegedly training individuals and providing support for terrorist attacks.
"Today's actions strike at the heart of two terrorist organizations responsible for deadly attacks against innocent civilians in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India," said Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Stuart Levey. "All three of today's targets are actively involved in leading or planning operations on behalf of these dangerous terrorist organizations."
