India classifies Dawood, Azhar, Saeed as Individual Terrorists under UAPA

The Indian Government has classified several dreaded terrorists like Masood Azhar, Dawood Ibrahim, and Hafiz Saeed as individual terrorists under the UAPA Act. This decision was taken nearly a month after the Indian Parliament allowed this crucial amendment to the UAPA law.

What has happened?

• The Indian Union Government has declared Dawood Ibrahim, Hafiz Saeed and Zakir-ur-Rahman Lakhvi and Masood Azhar as individual terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 1967.
• This decision was taken after the Indian Parliament approved the amendment allowing the Government to declare an individual as a terrorist.

How has this happened?

• The Indian Government has been able to declare these individuals as terrorists only following the amendment made to the UAPA Act.
• While earlier it was allowed to declare only the groups or organizations as a terrorist organization, now as per the new amendments made to the UAPA Act, now even individuals can be declared as terrorists.
• The Indian government has already issued red corner notices against all these four individuals and will add more such names in the list in the future.

Allegations against Masood Azhar

The Indian Government has alleged that Masood Azhar has been involved in an attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly complex in 2001, attack on Parliament in 2001, attack on Pathankot airbase in 2016 attacks on BSF camp in Srinagar in 2017 and explosion of a CRPF bus at Pulwama on February 14, 2019 which caused several deaths of Indian Citizens and Armed Personel.

Allegations against Dawood Ibrahim

In an investigation by the various Indian Law enforcement bodies and the Indian Intelligence agencies, Dawood Ibrahim has been found to run an international underworld crime syndicate. He has been found to be actively involved in various acts of terror, fanning religious fundamentalism, has done terror financing, arms smuggling, circulation of counterfeit currency and several other unlawful activities in India.