The US earlier claimed it had issued the bounty for information leading to
Saeed’s arrest and conviction in response to his increasingly “brazen”
appearances, as part of a political movement to halt American drone strikes.
However, on Wednesday Saeed showed no sign of being intimidated.
Instead he mocked the US during a defiant press conference held close to the
country’s military headquarters in Rawalpindi – in a clear illustration of
his ability to move freely through Pakistan.
“I am here, I am visible. America should give that reward money to me,”
he said. “I will be in Lahore tomorrow. America can contact me whenever
it wants to.”
He also denied being in contact with the al-Qaeda leader, or helping shelter
him, during the last years of his life in a villa in the town of Abbottabad.
“We are Pakistani. We didn’t need Osama bin Laden,” he told The
Daily Telegraph.
Saeed was arrested in the wake of the Mumbai attacks but later released on
appeal.
He said the bounty had been imposed at the behest of India and was motivated
by his campaign with the Defence of Pakistan council, which has been holding
anti-American rallies and demanding freedom for Kashmir.
He appeared flanked by leaders of the council, who announced a nationwide
protest on Friday.
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