India welcomes Pakistan's move of putting Mumbai attacks mastermind on terror list

On a cautious note, India Monday welcomed Pakistan's move of putting 2008 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind and banned outfit Jamaat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed's name on its national terror list.

"Saeed is an international terrorist, the mastermind of Mumbai terrorist attack and responsible for unleashing wave of terrorism against Pakistan's neighbours through Lashkar-e-Toiba/JuD and their affiliates," Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told the media.

He added: "Effective action mandated internationally against him and his terrorist organisations and colleagues is a logical first step in bringing them to justice, and in ridding our region of the twin menaces of terrorism and violent extremism."

Pakistan had Saturday put names of Saeed, who is currently under house arrest, and four of his close aides on the nation's terror list and on Sunday, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that "Saeed can pose a serious threat to the society".

"Terrorism is not synonymous to any religion. Terrorists aren't Christians or Muslims or Hindus or Buddhists. They are terrorists, they are criminals," Asif had said.

India accuses Saeed of being the mastermind of the Mumbai attacks in which over 170 people were killed and more than 300 others injured when some 10 Pakistani terrorists entered the country's financial capital through sea-route and carried out the massacre. Endit