Mumbai terror attacks plotter Abdul Rehman Makki dies in Pakistan
What's the story
Abdul Rehman Makki, a prominent architect of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, passed away on Friday in Lahore, Pakistan. He was being treated for high diabetes at a private hospital when he suffered a heart attack. Makki was a senior leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and served as their deputy chief. He was also married to the brother of Hafiz Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai attacks.
Legal proceedings
Makki's conviction and global terrorist designation
After his arrest in May 2019, Makki was convicted by a Pakistani court for terror financing in 2020 and sentenced to life imprisonment. He had been living under house arrest in Lahore since then. In January 2023, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) designated him a "global terrorist," subjecting him to an assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo.
Terror activities
Makki's involvement in Mumbai and Red Fort attacks
Makki was instrumental in financing the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that left 166 people dead. Nine terrorists were killed by security forces in the attacks, while one terrorist, Amir Ajmal Kasab, was caught alive. Apart from his involvement in the Mumbai attacks, Makki was also wanted by Indian security agencies for his involvement in an attack on the Red Fort on December 22, 2000.
Additional crimes
LeT's involvement in Shujaat Bukhari murder
Makki's outfit, LeT, was also involved in the killing of Rising Kashmir newspaper editor-in-chief Shujaat Bukhari and his two security guards in 2018. Despite his criminal record and designation as a global terrorist by the UNSC, the Pakistan Mutahida Muslim League (PMML) hailed Makki as an advocate of Pakistan ideology after his demise.