New Delhi: Barely days ahead of the 15th anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the Israeli government has listed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as a terrorist organisation.
“To symbolise the marking of the 15th year of the commemoration of the Mumbai terror attacks, the state of Israel has listed Lashkar-e-Taiba as a terror organisation,” the Israeli embassy in Delhi said in a statement.
The embassy said that “despite not being requested by the Government of India to do so”, Israel has “formally completed all necessary procedures and has satisfied all required checks and regulations to the result of introducing LeT into the Israeli list of illegal terror organisations”.
The statement said Israel only lists terror organisations that actively operate against it from within or around its borders, or in a similar manner to India. “Those globally recognised by the United Nations Security Council or the US State Department, the Israeli ministries of defence and foreign affairs, have jointly worked in the last few months towards a listing of the LeT on this date, to highlight the importance of a unified global front in combating terrorism,” it stated.
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks were a series of terrorist attacks that took place in November 2008, when 10 members of LeT carried out 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai. As many as 175 people died, including nine of the attackers, with more than 300 injured.
“Lashkar-e-Taiba is a deadly and reprehensible terror organisation, responsible for the murder of hundreds of Indian civilians as well as others. Its heinous actions on November 26, 2008, still reverberate in force, through all peace-seeking nations and societies,” the statement said.
“The state of Israel offers its sincere condolences to all victims of terrorism and the survivors and bereaved families of the Mumbai attacks, including those in Israel. We stand with you united in the hope of a better and peaceful future,” it added.