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May 31, 2006

Pakistan: Islamist Sentenced To Death For Mosque Shooting

News from Pakistan's Daily Times and Associated Press via Khaleej Times states that in Multan in the Punjab Province of Pakistan, an Islamist has been sentenced to death. The man, 35-year old Qari Omar Hayat had been found guilty of shooting Shia worshippers at a mosque on January 4, 1999.

The incident took place in the village of Muzaffargarh near Multan, and left 16 people dead. The prosecutor, Najaf Ali, said that four others wanted in connection with the attack (Ijaz alias Jajji, Tariq Mehmood alias Tipu, Tauheed Ahmed and Habibullah) had died in a police shootout in 1999.

Ten other suspects were also before the court, but there was insufficient evidence to mount a case against them, and they were acquitted.

The court was held inside the prison at Multan for security reasons. Qari Omar Hayat is a member of the extremist Sunni group Lashkar-e-Jhvangi.

In addition to the death sentence, Hayat was given a fine of 4.8 million rupees ($79,840). His defence said they would appeal the sentence. Najaf Ali said that the state would appeal against the acquittal of the ten other suspects.

Lashkar-e-Jhvangi is renowned for its sectarian attacks, mostly against Shias. However, in December the group was threatening Christians with death in Sangla Hill. Lashkar-e-Jhvangi was formed in 1996 by a breakaway section of the Sipah-e-Sahaba, a Sunni extremist group.

It was designated a terrorist group by the United States in January 2003. It became a "proscribed" organisation in Britain in October 2005.

In January 2002, it was a group of Lashkar-e-Jhvangi members who kidnapped and decapitated US journalist Daniel Pearl.

Keywords: Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Lashkar-i Jhangvi

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at May 31, 2006 9:58 AM

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