Terror-financing: JUD’s Zafar Iqbal, Yahya Mujahid awarded 15-year jail term each

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday announced another judgment in terror-financing cases against leaders of the banned Jamatud Daawa (JuD) and awarded 15 years jail term each to Prof Zafar Iqbal and Yahya Mujahid.

The court awarded six-month jail term to another accused Abdul Rehman Makki.

The court convicted the JuD leaders in a case, registered by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Multan, under sections 11-F(2), 11-N, 11-I, 11-J of the Anti-Terrorism Act. These sections relate to being a member of a banned outfit and supporting and arranging meetings of a proscribed organisation, illegal fundraising and buying properties from raised funds. The court also extended benefit of 382 CrPC to the convicts.

According to details of the cases against the JuD leaders, on July 3, 2019, the top 13 leaders of the JuD were booked in multiple cases for terror financing and money-laundering under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997. The CTD, which registered the cases in five cities of Punjab, declared that the JuD was financing terrorism from the massive funds collected through non-profit organisations and trusts including Al-Anfaal Trust, Dawatul Irshad Trust, Muaz Bin Jabal Trust, etc. These non-profit organisations were banned in April 2019. Earlier, the ATC had convicted chief of the JuD Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and five other banned group leaders in another case of terror financing and terrorism.