A Pakistani national linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a UN-designated terrorist organization, has been discovered hiding in South Korea. This marks the first time an LeT member has been arrested in the country. The group was behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks that claimed 166 lives.

On August 8, the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency’s Security Investigation Division announced that they had arrested and charged a man in his 40s, identified as A, for violating the Counter-Terrorism Act for the Protection of Citizens and Public Safety, as well as immigration laws.

According to police, A joined LeT in Pakistan in 2020, receiving training in the use of heavy weapons such as machine guns, as well as infiltration tactics, before becoming a full member. In September 2023, he allegedly visited the Korean consulate in Pakistan, pretending to want to start a business in Korea. He submitted falsified documents to obtain a visa and illegally entered Korea in December 2023.

Investigators found that A lived in Seoul’s Itaewon district. Although his visa expired in January 2024, he continued to stay illegally in the area.

During questioning, A claimed he came to South Korea “just to earn money” and acknowledged knowing about the organization but denied being a member. However, police noted he had no record of legitimate employment since his arrival and was only working a short-term job at a store when arrested, making it unlikely he was in the country for genuine economic activity.

LeT, formed in the mid-1980s, is an Islamist extremist organization active mainly in the Indian-administered Kashmir region, a disputed territory between Pakistan and India. It is known to have received support from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The arrest came after the National Intelligence Service passed intelligence to the police, who then conducted surveillance and investigations, ultimately confirming A’s affiliation with LeT. Authorities are now examining his financial records to determine if he sent any funds to the organization.

Sources: 네이트 뉴스