'Case against Hafiz Saeed very weak'

19 Sep 2009
A day after Pakistani police registered two cases against JuD chief
Hafiz Mohd Saeed, the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks, TIMES NOW
accesses the content of the two seditious speeches Saeed made at
Faisalabad, based on which the FIRs were lodged.

Two FIRs against Saeed and one against his close aide Abu Jandal
were registered at police stations in Faisalabad, some 100 kms from
Lahore, for inciting people to wage 'jihad' (holy war) against
"infidels".

Pakistani authorities, however, said that they had not received any
instructions for arresting Saeed despite the registration of two
cases against him.

From the FIR, it is clear that the case against Saeed is very week.
The first FIR is based on his preaching session at Royalton Hotel in
Faisalabad's Canal Road on August 27, in which Saeed urges people to
retaliate against those who've suppressed their rights. He mentions
the problems of the American economy are God's way of retaliation.

"If a quam has taken away what is yours, has occupied your land and
suppressed your rights, what would you do? The blow struck by jihad
does not come from man, it comes from Allah. He who Allah strikes in
this manner cannot ride again. This is why American economy is in
the doldrums today," Saeed preached.

The second FIR has been lodged against his speech at an Iftar dinner
at Peoples Colony, Jaranwala Road Faisalabad on August 26. In this
tirade, Saeed accuses India of staging the 26/11 attacks and
conspiring against Pakistan -- a clear attempt to invoke anti-India
sentiments.

Saeed preached, "The US has 'staged' 9/11 to use a pretext for
invading Afghanistan and sending NATO troops there, but it has met
with failure. Now they are active inside Pakistan. India also staged
the Mumbai attacks and gave us the label of terrorists. India and
Israel are together conspiring against Pak's nuclear capability, but
they too have failed in their agenda. The time has come to stand
united and come forward to take part in jihad."

Meanwhile, speaking exclusively to TIMES NOW, Saeed's lawyer AK
Dongar said that the charges against his client were ridiculous. He
said, "I have gone through both the FIRs against Saeed thoroughly.
The charges against my client are very weak. He has expressed his
views like any other Pakistani.”