U.S., U.K. freeze Jaish assets

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, OCT. 12. The Bush administration has frozen the assets of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (Army of Mohammad) as part of widening the net on the financial assault on terrorism. In London, Britain announced a similar freeze.

The U.S. Treasury Department today named 39 more entities and individuals suspected of conducting or financing terrorist activities. At least three of the 15 individuals listed are said to be Pakistani nationals or those staying in that country.

The Treasury Department said it was a ``militant, pro-Taliban Pakistan force that receives support within Pakistan''. It gave the background of the expansion in size and capability of the JeM since Maulana Masood Azhar -- who was released during the Indian Airlines plane hijacking to Kandahar -- announced its formation in February 2001. The U.S. said the JeM was responsible for several attacks and bombings, killing many people in India.

``The JeM is based in Peshawar and Muzaffarbad but members conduct terrorist activity primarily in Kashmir. The JeM maintains training camps in Afghanistan,'' the Treasury Department says.

The individuals category -- from Pakistan or those believed to be from that country -- includes a large-scale hawala dealer running the operation in Quetta and one person linked to the Al-Rashid Trust which has also been named in today's list.

The new list follows a September 24 order by the U.S. President, Mr. George W. Bush, that cracked down on 27 persons and entities. ``The list will continue to grow as we share information among nations and develop an increasingly-clear understanding of the complex network of terrorist financing,'' the Treasury Secretary, Mr. Paul O'Neill, said.

Since the financial crackdown, the Bush administration says that roughly $ 24 million in assets has been blocked including some belonging to Osama bin Laden. Of the $ 24 million, the U.S. has blocked $ 4 million and the rest by other countries. Several million dollars more in additional assets are under review.

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