Published: July 2, 2009

WASHINGTON: The United States imposed Wednesday sanctions on an Al-Qaeda backer and three leaders of the Pakistan-based Islamist group Laskhar-e-Taiba, believed behind last year's Mumbai attacks.

The US Treasury said it was imposing an assets freeze on the four, identified as Fazeel-A-Tul Shaykh Abu Mohammed Ameen Al-Peshawari, Arif Qasmani, Mohammed Yahya Mujahid, and Nasir Javaid.

Ameen Al-Peshawari allegedly provided assistance, including funding and recruits, to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban militia currently fighting to regain control of Afghanistan.

Qasmani is said to be the chief coordinator for Laskhar and Mujahid the head of the group's media department while Javaid had served as its commander in Pakistan.

Laskhar is widely thought to have been behind last November's 60-hour bloodbath in India's Mumbai city which led to 166 deaths.

The Treasury said its action came two days after Al-Peshawari, Qasmani and Mujahid were added to a UN blacklist of individuals and entities linked with Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

All UN member states are obligated to freeze the funds and other assets of listed individuals and entities included on the blacklist, and to apply other sanctions. such as travel ban and arms embargo, a Treasury statement said.

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