Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba Terrorist Linked to 26/11 Arrested in South Korea

National News: In a significant counter-terrorism operation, South Korean authorities have arrested a Pakistani national linked to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The suspect, identified as a member of the internationally designated terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was detained while working in the Itaewon area of Seoul.

According to a report by The Korea Herald, officials from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency confirmed that the suspect, aged around 40, was arrested on August 2 at a local market in Itaewon-dong, where he had been employed as a clerk. Police have booked him under South Korea’s Anti-Terrorism Act and Immigration Act.

Joined LeT in 2020

Investigators revealed that the suspect joined Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan in 2020, receiving weapons training, underwater combat instruction, and infiltration skills. He was reportedly recognized as an official member of the group. In September 2023, he secured a visa from the South Korean Consulate in Pakistan and entered the country in December the same year, allegedly with the intention of starting a business.

Authorities clarified that the man is not accused of plotting or executing any terrorist act within South Korea. However, his active membership in LeT violates Section 17 of the Anti-Terrorism Act for Civil and Public Safety, which allows legal action against individuals involved with terrorist organizations.

Investigations Into Funding Links

South Korean police are now investigating whether the suspect sent any funds to LeT while in the country. Officials noted that this is the first time a Pakistani national associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba has been arrested on South Korean soil. Lashkar-e-Taiba was declared a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in May 2005 due to its ties with Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban. The group, which often operates through its front organization Jamaat-ud-Dawa, has been responsible for numerous attacks, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people, and more recent incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier this year, Pakistani terrorists linked to LeT were involved in the Pahalgam attack in which several security personnel were targeted. The organization has also been accused of carrying out sectarian killings, including an incident where 26 people were murdered after being asked their religion. The arrest marks a rare instance of LeT’s reach extending into South Korea and underscores the group’s global network, prompting heightened security monitoring in the region.