Pakistan Detains Alleged Mastermind of Mumbai Terror Attack

The alleged mastermind behind a three-day terror spree in Mumbai nearly a decade ago was placed under house arrest on Monday, with some suggesting the timing of his detention was linked to pressure from the United States and China, in addition to his links to terror.

Hafiz Saeed, leader of Jamaat-ud-Dawah, as well as four other members of the group, were put under preventive custody on Monday by Pakistani authorities, according to a government statement, UPI reported.

A spokesperson for the group said Saeed was put under house arrest because of requests from India, but others say the United States threatened sanctions on Pakistan if he was not locked down.

Jamaat-ud-Dawah, often referred to as a charity, is thought to be a front for the militant group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, of which Saeed is the founder.

Saeed was arrested not long after the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, but was released after six months, when he promptly formed another front group for Jamaat-ud-Dawah, officials say. 

The lone surviving gunman involved in the attacks, which lasted three days and resulted in the death of 166 and injury of more than 200, was executed in 2012.

In 2012, Saeed denied involvement in any violent attacks, going so far as to offer aid to the United States after super storm Sandy ravaged the Northeast. India has long claimed to have evidence proving his involvement in the 2008 attacks, though.