Protests outside UAE Embassy over terror funding allegations

New Delhi [India], Aug.6 (ANI): A protest was organized outside the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday afternoon to highlight the anger and frustration that still exists among Indians over incidents of terror and over media reports of terror outfits, including well known ones like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) being bankrolled by financial institutions that operate out of countries in the Middle East such as the United Arab Emirates. Sunday's protest was organized by the Delhi-based NGO Serve for Humans. Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the protest outside the UAE embassy, Harish Malkoti, President and Project Development Officer of the NGO, said, "We are conducting a peaceful protest against the UAE, as newspapers are showing news that Dubai funded Pakistani banks for the 26/11 attack in India. We want India to take immediate and stringent action against the UAE." He further said, "Terrorism and friendship can't go hand in hand. That has been our nation's policy. All countries are important for us, whether it is China or the UAE. If any country wants to spread terrorism in our country, we won't redeem any relations with them. When told that terror attacks are also taking place in Pakistan, he said, "Pakistan is a poor country. From where is it getting the funds to spread terrorism? The government should conduct a probe in this regard." To another question regarding the ongoing trilateral border impasse between India, China and Bhutan in the Doklam region, Mr. Malkoti said, "We want the government to take necessary steps and boycott Chinese products." National and international media have widely reported in the past that the UAE financed Pakistani banks and in turn these funds reportedly bankrolled terror attacks against India such as 26/11 that claimed the lives of 166 people and maimed over 300 others. It may be recalled that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had registered a case on May 30 against Kashmiri separatist and secessionist leaders, including members of the Hurriyat Conference, who have reportedly been acting in connivance with active militants of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Lashkar-e-Taiba, other outfits and gangs. The case was registered for raising, receiving and collecting funds through various illegal means, including Hawala, for funding separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and for causing disruption in the Kashmir Valley by way of pelting security forces with stones, burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India. In June this year, the NIA conducted raids at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana. During the course of searches, Pakistani currency (a few thousand) and currencies belonging to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia were found and seized apart from other incriminating material. At that time, 23 places were raided in Kashmir, Delhi and Haryana in connection with funding received from Pakistan for terror and violence in the Kashmir Valley. Search operations were also carried out at the residences and offices of separatist leaders. Some of them and their associates have since been detained for questioning. Several papers like the Daily Beast, The Telegraph, Huffington Post and Al-Jazeera have also reported that some Gulf countries were used to receive funds from banks in Pakistan and UAE owned by the UAE royal family to allegedly finance terror strikes in the U.S. in 2001 and Mumbai in 2008. Banks like the Dubai Islamic Bank in UAE, and the Bank Al Falah and United Bank Ltd. in Pakistan owned by the Abu Dhabi Royal family reportedly cleared financial transactions of terrorist outfits like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), both of which have been named by India as being squarely involved in the 26/11 attacks. They were reportedly involved in terror-related financing for the 9/11 strike as well. American citizens are said to have started filing cases in their courts against some of these Gulf nations, claiming to have evidence of their roles not only in 9/11, but also in the November 26-29 terror attacks in Mumbai. Media reports are saying that some of these documents that may soon appear in the public domain reportedly suggest for instance that the family of one of the Americans who died in Mumbai in 2008, has filed a case against the royal family of Abu Dhabi, which owned banks that financially helped the LeT and the JuD. Indians are looking for closure and that will come only after the Indian Government initiates an enquiry into the matter and takes action against the perpetrators. (ANI)