Pakistan Frees Islamic Militant From House Arrest

Pakistan Frees Islamic Militant From House Arrest

The Associated Press
December 29, 2002

Pakistani police complied Sunday with a controversial court order to free Maulana Masood Azhar, leader of the banned Islamic militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed, from house arrest by withdrawing police guards placed around his home over one year ago.

Azhar quickly left his home for parts unknown. Police said they were complying with a court ruling in favor of Azhar issued Dec. 14. "Following the removal of the police guard, Maulana Masood Azhar left for an unknown place after midnight," police official Sikandar Hayat, told The Associated Press by telephone from Bahawalpur, where Azhar's home is located, 800 kilometers (500 miles) west of Islamabad and 100 kilometers (60 miles) southwest of the city of Multan, near the Indian border.

Azhar and other leaders of Pakistan's often violent Islamic groups were ordered jailed in December 2001, soon after a Dec. 13 attack by Islamic militants on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi, which left 14 people dead.

Under pressure from the United States and India to reign in the militants, who are fighting Indian control of the disputed Kashmir province, Pakistan banned many of the groups. But most quickly re-emerged under other names.

And in recent weeks, courts in Pakistan have ordered the release of several of the jailed militant leaders. That has led India to charge that Pakistan has taken only "cosmetic steps" against the militants, whom Indian views as terrorists.

Azhar was ordered released after the High Court in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, rejected a government request to extend his detention by three months. No charges have ever been brought against him. Pakistani law allows terror suspects to be held for up to one year without charges.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf outlawed five Islamic groups in January 2001, including Jaish-e-Mohammed. Pakistani investigators believe Jaish-e-Mohammed has close links to the Taliban and al-Qaida.

Azhar's release follows a similar order last month by the Lahore high court to free Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, the former leader of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba. Saeed had resigned from Lashkar-e-Tayyaba just before the group was banned and he became the leader of a new group, Jamaat al-Dawat.

Also in November, a court ordered Maulana Azam Tariq, leader of the pro-Taliban group Sipah-e-Sahaba, released from jail. Tariq won election to Parliament from behind bars and is now sitting in Pakistan's legislature.

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