The United Nations blacklisted Pakistan-based Abdul Rehman Makki, deputy chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a global terrorist. He is the He is the brother-in-law of Hafiz Saeed, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The UN Security Council’s 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee added 68-year-old Makki to its list after China withdrew its hold on a joint proposal by India and the United States.
In a statement, the UN security council said “On 16 January 2023, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities approved the addition of the entry specified below to its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 2610 (2021) and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,”
REASON FOR LISTING
Abdul Rehman Makki was listed pursuant to paragraphs 2 and 4 of resolution 2368 (2017) as being associated with ISIL or Al-Qaida for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of”, “recruiting for”, “otherwise supporting acts or activities of”, and “either owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by, or otherwise supporting” Lashkar-e-Tayyiba.
THE BIO
Makki is the head of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LET) political affairs. He served as head of LET’s foreign relations department and member of Shura (governing body). He is also a member of JUD’s Markazi (Central) Team and Daawati (proselytization) team. Abdul Rehman Makki is wanted by the Indian Government.
Abdul Rehman Makki and other LET/JUD operatives have been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalizing youth to violence and planning attacks in India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Whilst Makki has held his leadership positions within LET and JUD, LET have been responsible for or had involvement in the following prominent attacks:
i) Red Fort Attack: Six LET terrorists had stormed Red Fort on 22 December 2000 and had opened indiscriminate fire on the security forces guarding the Fort.
ii) Rampur Attack: Five LET terrorists had attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Rampur on 01 January 2008 in which seven CRPF personnel and a rickshaw puller were killed.
iii) 26/11 Mumbai attack (26-28 November 2008): Most audacious attack by LET in India. 10 LET terrorists from Pakistan entered via Arabian Sea in Mumbai with pre-decided targets out of which Amir Ajmal Kasab was caught alive, rest were killed.
iv) Karan Nagar, Srinagar attack (12-13 February 2018): LET Fidayeen (suicide squad) stormed into CRPF (23 Battalion) camp at Karan Nagar area of Srinagar in which one CRPF trooper was killed one Policeman was injured.
v) Khanpora, Baramulla attack (30 May 2018): Three civilians were shot dead by LET militants.
vi) Srinagar attack (14 June 2018): Senior journalist & Editor in Chief of Rising Kashmir, Shujaat Bukhari, and his two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) were shot by LET terrorists.
vii) Gurez/ Bandipora attack (7 August 2018): Four Army soldiers including a Major were killed as Army foiled a major infiltration bid by heavily armed LET militants along the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez Sector of Bandipora District, Jammu and Kashmir.
Makki was arrested on 15 May 2019 by Pakistan Government and was under house arrest in Lahore. In 2020, a Pakistani court convicted Makki of terrorism financing and sentenced him to prison.
EARLY ATTEMPTS TO BLACKLIST
in 2022, India and the US had brought in a proposal in the Security Council for his blacklisting. However, China had put a hold on to it. He had previously escaped designation under UNSC Resolution 1267 in 2008,World Economic Forum when his leader as well as the LeT front organisation JuD were listed by the Security Council.
