caricature of Hafiz Saeed

1. Sunday, April 8, 2012 11
NEWSMAKER
Illustration: Stephen Case
THE MAN ABOUT
TOWN WORTH A
US$10m BOUNTY
Suspected terror mastermind has a huge price on his head, but he isn’t hiding
in a cave … he’s walking freely round Lahore and appearing on Pakistan TV
You put bounties
......................................................
Agencies in Rawalpindi, Pakistan
his organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, mir. In Muzaffarabad, around 500 on people who
have been cleared by Pakistani activists shouted “al-Jihad, al-Jihad
courts. They say they don’t under- (holy war)” as they marched on the are hiding, not
Who wants to be a millionaire? In
Pakistan, all you have to do is give the
stand what all the fuss is about and
complain the Americans are acting
city and set fire to a US flag.
“Such steps are forcing Muslims
those walking
United States information leading to like cowboys. towards guns,” said Abdul Aziz Alvi, around free
the arrest or conviction of Hafiz “The United States is acting like the local head of Jamaat-ud-Dawa.
Saeed – an Islamist leader whose it’s Clint Eastwood,” said a senior “We condemn the American an- HARIS CHAUDHRY, BUSINESSMAN
whereabouts are usually not much of security official. “It’s as if they just nouncement against Hafiz Saeed,”
a mystery. want to ride a horse into Pakistan and cried a banner at the rally, which was “endangered and worried” by the US
Saeed is suspected of master- just drag people like him away.” attended by members of other decision. But publicly, Jamaat-ud-
minding the attack on India’s finan- Saeed, a man with a quiet but banned and religious groups. Dawwa – an arm of Lashkar-e-Taiba
cial capital, Mumbai, in 2008 that intense demeanour and henna-dyed Saeed, 61, founded Lashkar-e- which promotes the puritanical
killed 166, including six Americans. hair, has turned the drone strikes and Taiba in the 1990s and it became one Wahhabi interpretation of Islam and
The US last week placed a bounty other issues, like the presence of of South Asia’s best-funded militant is also involved in charitable and hu-
of up to US$10 million on Saeed. But Western troops in Afghanistan, into a organisations. manitarian work – called the US deci-
unlike other figures at the top of the rallying cry against the US. He abandoned its leadership after sion “another attack on Islam and
list, such as al-Qaeda leader Ayman That has won him support on India accused it of being behind an Muslims”.
al-Zawahiri, who carries a US$25 mil- Pakistan’s streets. “He wants the attack on the Indian parliament in “Now that he has a price on his
lion reward, or the Afghan Taliban drone strikes to stop. He wants the December 2001. He denies any head, for this money anyone is will-
leader Mullah Omar, the subject of a bloodshed in Afghanistan to end,” wrongdoing and links to militants. ing to do anything,” said Javed, a 55-
US$10 million bounty, Saeed is not said a senior police official in Paki- Saeed’s main political forum now year-old government employee who
on the run in the lawless areas along stan’s commercial capital, Karachi. is the Defence of Pakistan Council, a declined to give his full name.
the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. “Hafiz Saeed isn’t saying anything coalition of right-wing, religious and “Once people see the money
Instead, the jihadist lives in plain wrong. In fact, he’s a patriot.” extremist groups that includes Lash- there is no saving him. Only God can
sight in the eastern city of Lahore, That support was evident on Fri- kar. The group has been opposed to save him.”
running his operations from a com- day, when hundreds of Islamist activ- the government reopening Nato sup- Some Pakistanis could not under-
pound on the edge of the city. ists took to the streets of Pakistan de- ply lines to Afghanistan, which have stand why the bounty was issued
He appeared live on several tele- manding holy war and torching US been closed since November. while Saeed is in plain view.
vision channels the day after Wash- flags to condemn the bounty. The coalition has staged noisy “It is unlikely that anything will
ington announced the bounty, derid- Protests were organised in Islam- demonstrations in recent months come out of this. You put bounties
ing the US reward as a “foolish step” abad, the neighbouring garrison city and Saeed said the campaign had on people who are hiding, not
that had been orchestrated by Paki- of Rawalpindi, the central shrine city worried Washington. those walking around free,” said
stan’s arch-enemy, India. of Multan and in Muzaffarabad, capi- “The US decision is aimed at would allow his prosecution in a the Pakistani government. Pakistani boosting his visibility. Pakistan kept businessman Haris Chaudhry. “It’s
The next day he was openly wan- tal of Pakistani-administered Kash- silencing the Defence Council of court in the United States or Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Saeed under house arrest for several ridiculous.”
dering across Pakistan’s military gar- Pakistan and to ensure resumption of elsewhere. Basit said any US claims against months after the Mumbai attacks but On the edge of Islamabad, a Paki-
rison town of Rawalpindi, hanging supplies through backdoor channels State Department spokesman Saeed must be able to stand up in released him after he challenged his stani intelligence officer who has
out with some of the most anti-Amer- and increase interference in Paki- Mark Toner said: “We all know where court. “Pakistan would prefer to re- detention in court. handled militant groups for decades
ican characters in the country. stan,” he said. he is – you know, every journalist in ceive concrete evidence to proceed It has also resisted demands from shook his head as he pondered the
“This is a laughable, absurd The former professor of Islamic Pakistan and in the region knows legally rather than to be engaging in a India to do more, saying there isn’t US reward.
announcement. Here I am in front of The US is acting studies seemed unfazed by the how to find him – but we’re looking public discussion on this issue,” Basit sufficient evidence. “If the guy who decided to do this
everyone, not hiding in a cave,”
Saeed told a news conference at a
like Clint Eastwood bounty. “I am here, I am visible.
America should give that reward
for information that can be usable to
convict him in a court of law.”
said.
The US may be hoping the reward
Security analysts in Islamabad
said Pakistan’s civilian government
could get a job in the State Depart-
ment, then I could be the president of
hotel – a mere 40-minute drive from … they want to ride money to me,” he said at the press The rewards marked a shift in the money for Saeed will force Pakistan would like to act against Saeed but the United States,” the chuckling
the US embassy in Islamabad and conference. long-standing US calculation that to curb his activities, even if it isn’t had been prevented from doing so by operative, wearing a suit and puffing
just across from the headquarters of in on a horse and Washington later sought to clarify going after the leadership of an willing to arrest him. But the news the military, which feared a backlash on a cigarette, said.
Pakistan’s army, the recipient of
billions of dollars in US aid.
drag him away the US reward for Saeed, saying that
the money offered was not for his
organisation used as a proxy by the
Pakistani military against India
conference he called in Rawalpindi
was an indication that is unlikely, and
from militant activists.
Speaking privately, a close asso-
“God bless America.”
Associated Press, Reuters, The New York
Pakistani officials say Saeed and SENIOR PAKISTAN SECURITY OFFICIAL capture but for information that would cause too much friction with the bounty may even help him by ciate of Saeed’s admitted to feeling Times, Agence France-Presse
THE
OTHER SIDE
PEOPLE FA C T S & F I G U R E S TA L L S T O R I E S
Poldi the cat comes back Woman driver found with Wives cut up as husbands are Gandhi question of girl, 10,
3.3b ‘from dead’ – after 16 years
A German woman had an emotional
reunion with her cat she thought
baby zipped up in handbag
Police in the US Virgin Islands say a
woman was allegedly driving with
given cash for having snip
A district in Indonesia is handing out
cash to civil servants who volunteer
stumps Indian government
A 10-year-old Indian girl has
stumped the government with a
Water company infrastructure died 16 years ago. Poldi went her newborn baby zipped up in her for vasectomies – but the initiative Right to Information request asking
across England and Wales leaked missing in 1996 but the runaway cat handbag. An officer pulled over a has upset women who fear their when and how independence hero
this many litres a day in 2010-11, the was found living in a forest near woman driving a pickup during a sterilised husbands will be more Mahatma Gandhi became known as
industry regulator Ofwat said. Munich. It was emaciated and was routine traffic stop. While asking for likely to have affairs. Mukomuko the “father of the nation”. Primary
Authorities banned about 20 million taken to the city’s animal sanctuary. the woman’s licence, the officer district on Sumatra island is offering school student Aishwarya Parashar
customers from using garden hoses Due to a tattooed number behind reported hearing a baby crying. The one million rupiah (HK$850) to any put the question to the office of
Nicole Kidman is in talks to Former bandmates sue to water plants or wash cars amid his ear, Poldi was able to be quickly motorist then allegedly unzipped of its 2,000 male employees who Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
play Grace Kelly of Monaco Daughtry for fraud worries over a drought. Seven water identified and his owner informed. her handbag on the passenger seat have the operation, in a bid to Singh, which referred it to the home
companies said they would enforce “She really didn’t think she would and revealed a tiny newborn. Police control population growth. District ministry and then on to the National
Australian actress Nicole Kidman is Three of Chris Daughtry’s former a ban after one of the driest two-year see the cat again after such a long say the woman told them the girl head Ichwan Yunus said wives were Archives. Last month, the archives
in talks to play the late Grace Kelly, bandmates are suing him, claiming periods on record. It means Britons time,” Eveline Kosenbach from the was born at home a week ago. She worried their sterilised husbands said its staff were unable to resolve
the screen legend who married the he defrauded them out of proceeds caught using a hosepipe face a animal home said, adding that was apparently driving the infant to would be more likely to have affairs the matter of who bestowed the title
prince of Monaco, in a film by from four songs that included music £1,000 (HK$12,300) fine. AP finding a cat alive following such an a doctor, but authorities rushed the with no need for contraception. He on Gandhi. “I’m feeling bad because
French director Olivier Dahan, and lyrics they wrote together. The extended period was “an extremely newborn to a hospital. The mother said this was one of the “challenges” no one has an answer to my
according to Variety. The report says News & Record of Greensboro, in the unusual occurrence”. AFP may face criminal charges. AP of the vasectomy scheme. AFP question,” Parashar said. AFP
Kidman, 44, is in negotiations to play US state of North Carolina, reports
Kelly in Grace of Monaco, which
Pierre-Ange Le Pogam is producing
with writer Arash Amel. The
screenplay by Amel is not a biopic
but centres on the period from
bassist Ryan Andrews, drummer
Scott Crawford and guitarist Mark
Perry filed suit in Guilford County
Superior Court. The lawsuit accuses
Daughtry of “constructive fraud,
¤
554m
The amount (HK$5.62 billion) petty
December 1961 to November 1962. breaches of fiduciary duty, unfair corruption in the public sector cost
At the time, Kelly, an Oscar winner trade practices, and other deceptive Greeks last year, according to
and a mother of two, was called and wrongful conduct”. Daughtry Transparency International. But it
upon to save Monaco from an said the songs were written solely by was down from the year before that,
escalating tax crisis with France. AFP him. AP when it touched ¤632 million. The
watchdog said 7.4 per cent of
households reported corruption
incidents in the public sector last
year, marginally up from 7.2 per cent
in 2010. The nationwide survey
questioned 12,020 people in
November and December 2011. AP
Supermodel Klum files for
divorce from singer Seal
Mark Zuckerberg’s sister
plans ‘Silicon Valley’ show
10,000
The number Easter of eggs that
adorned a tree in Volker Kraft’s
German supermodel Heidi Klum Randi Zuckerberg, the sister of garden in eastern Germany. Kraft’s
has filed for divorce from her British Facebook founder Mark, is working apple sapling sported just 18 eggs
singer husband Seal. Klum cited on a television show about Silicon when he first decorated it for Easter
“irreconcilable differences” in her Valley. Silicon Valley is a working in 1965. The number increased year
divorce petition filed in Los Angeles title for the show, which follows by year; and by last year, the sturdy
County Superior Court, which young professionals in real life tree was festooned with 9,800 eggs,
shows they signed a post-nuptial working to create the next big thing artfully decorated with everything
agreement, according to reports. in technology. Going by a short from sequins to seashells. Now Kraft
The couple vowed to be “civil” for preview on the website of Bravo, says he’s stopping there. The 76-
the sake of the four children when which is part of Comcast’s year-old retiree says: “There will be
they announced their split in NBCUniversal division, this involves no increase because I do not have
January, with Seal saying it was drinking, driving fast cars and storage capacity any more. I would
“difficult” but made easier because bragging about money. Bravo has have to sleep with the eggs
of their continued feelings for each not said when it will run the show, otherwise.” Decorating trees with
other. Klum is seeking primary which an industry critic has likened coloured eggs at Easter is a tradition
custody of the children, with Seal to a west-coast-set Jersey Shore. in Germany – though usually on a
getting visitation rights. AFP Randi left Facebook last year. AP smaller scale. AP