US bounty for Mumbai attack 'mastermind'

The US has announced $10m bounty on Hafiz Saeed, accused of masterminding the 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

Wendy Sherman, the US undersecretary of state, on a visit to India, said a $3m bounty had also been announced for Abul Rehman Makki, the brother-in-law of Saeed, leader of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (Army of the Righteous) group.

Speaking to Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder shortly afterwards, Saeed said the US move was prompted by the fact that he had been organising rallies against the opening of supply lines to NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Pakistan closed down the crucial supply route in November after a US cross-border attack left 28 Pakistani soldiers dead.

Rewards for Justice, a programme sponsored by the US State Department, announced the cash reward for the 62-year old Saeed on its website.

"Saeed is suspected of masterminding numerous terrorist attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which resulted in the deaths of 166 people, including six American citizens,” the page said.

Ajmal Kasab, the only surviving gunman involved in the three-day rampage in November 2008, has been sentenced to death by an Indian court.

Kasab accused Saeed of organising the attack, which involved 10 gunmen, 9 of whom were killed during the shootout.

Lashkar-e-Taiba, designated as a terrorist organisation by the US in December 2001, is accused by India of carrying out several attacks, including the one on Mumbai.