Sajid Mir

{{Infobox criminal

| name = Sajid Mir

| other_names = Sajid Majid, Sajid Majid Chaudary, Uncle Bill

| birth_date = 1976 or 1978

| birth_place = Lahore, Pakistan

| nationality = Pakistani

| organization = Lashkar-e-Taiba

| known_for = 2008 Mumbai attacks

| wanted_by = India, FBI

| conviction = Terror financing (Anti Terrorism Court of Pakistan)

| criminal_penalty = 15 years imprisonment

| image = Image of the terrorist Sajid Mir.png

| caption = Mir in an undated photograph

| height = 5'5" to 5'6" (165-168 cm)

| native_name = ساجد میر

}}

Sajid Mir{{Efn|{{langx|ur|{{nastaliq|ساجد میر}}}}}} (born 1976 or 1978){{cite web |title=Sajid Mir |url=https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wanted_terrorists/sajid-mir/ |website=Federal Bureau of Investigation |access-date=8 July 2022 |language=en-us}} is a Pakistani national and a member of the militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. Mir was the chief planner of the 2008 Mumbai attacks,{{Cite book |last=Verma |first=Bharat |title=Indian Defence Review Apr-Jun 2012 |publisher=Lancer |year=2013 |isbn=978-81-7062-259-8 |volume=27 |location=New Delhi |pages=26 |language=English}}{{Cite book |title=The threat to the U.S. homeland emanating from Pakistan: hearing before the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence of the Committee on Homeland Security, House of Representatives, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, first session, May 3, 2011 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-16-090504-9 |location=Washington |pages=26 |language=English}} and has also managed the tasks of the 'foreign affairs' of Lashkar-e-Taiba's international wing.{{Cite book |last=Rath |first=Saroj Kumar |title=Fragile Frontiers : The Secret History of Mumbai Terror Attacks |publisher=Routledge |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-138-79077-3 |location=New Delhi, India |pages=75 |language=English}}

Sajid Mir was initially believed to be a fictitious character, as claimed by Pakistan,{{cite news |last1=Nanjappa |first1=Vicky |title=Sajid Mir remains a mystery even 3 years after 26/11 |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-anniversary-26-11-the-mystery-called-sajid-mir/20111123.htm |access-date=26 June 2022 |work=Rediff |publisher=Rediff.com |date=23 November 2011 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Nanjappa |first1=Vicky |title=Where is Lashkar-e-Taiba's passionate Jihadi, Sajid Mir |url=https://www.oneindia.com/india/where-is-lashkar-e-taiba-s-passionate-jihadi-sajid-mir-1937912.html |access-date=26 June 2022 |work=Oneindia |date=26 November 2015 |language=en}} but was later revealed by French magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguière's statement to journalist Sebastian Rotella as being a real person.{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Azmat |title=Could This Man's Warnings Have Prevented the Mumbai Attacks? |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/could-this-mans-warnings-have-prevented-the-mumbai-attacks/ |access-date=26 June 2022 |work=FRONTLINE |publisher=PBS |date=21 November 2011}}{{cite news |last1=Rotella |first1=Sebastian |author-link=Sebastian Rotella |date=13 November 2010 |title=The Man Behind Mumbai |work=ProPublica |publisher=ProPublica |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/the-man-behind-mumbai |access-date=26 June 2022}} Jean-Louis Bruguiere, during 2009, also stated that Sajid Mir is a regular official in the Pakistan Army.{{cite news |last1=MacDonald |first1=Myra |author-link=Myra MacDonald |date=13 November 2009 |title=Interview – French magistrate details Lashkar's global role |language=en |work=Reuters |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLC383495 |access-date=26 June 2022}}

After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Mir was indicted in the United States in 2011. He was sanctioned as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List on 30 August 2012 by the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.{{Cite web |title=MIR, Sajid |url=https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=15413 |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov}} Mir is listed on the United States Department of State's Rewards for Justice Terror List for a reward of up to {{USD|5 million}} for information which leads to his arrest. He is also listed on the FBI Most Wanted list and NIA Most Wanted list.{{Cite web |title=Sajid Mir |url=https://rewardsforjustice.net/rewards/sajid-mir/ |access-date=2022-10-04 |website=Rewards For Justice |language=en-US}} China has prevented the United Nations Security Council from designating Mir as a global terrorist under the Al-Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee.{{Cite web |last=Mukhopadhyay |first=Sounak |date=2022-09-17 |title=LeT Commander Sajid Mir won't be called 'global terrorist', thanks to China |url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/lashkaretaiba-commander-sajid-mir-who-oversaw-mumbai-attacks-won-t-be-called-global-terrorist-thanks-to-china-11663386608945.html |access-date=2022-09-17 |website=mint |language=en}}

In 2022, an Anti Terrorism Court of Pakistan convicted him of terror financing and sentenced him to 15 years of imprisonment.

In 2023, a proposal by the United States and India to designate him as a global terrorist was blocked by China.{{Cite web |date=2023-06-20 |title=China blocks proposal at UN to blacklist Pak-based LeT terrorist and 26/11 accused Sajid Mir |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/china-blocks-proposal-at-un-to-blacklist-pak-based-let-terrorist-and-26/11-accused-sajid-mir/articleshow/101140420.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=republicworld |language=en}}

Early life

Sajid Mir was born to a middle-class family in Lahore. His father, Abdulmajid Mir, who runs a textile business, went to Lahore during the India-Pakistan partition. Mir is a son-in-law of a retired officer of the Pakistan Army.{{cite news |last1=Ahuja |first1=Namrata Biji |title=Sajid Mir alias 'Uncle Bill' – FBI's most wanted terrorist and the man behind 26/11 |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2020/11/26/sajid-mir-alias-uncle-bill-fbis-most-wanted-terrorist-and-the-man-behind-26-11.html |access-date=26 June 2022 |work=The Week |publisher=The Week |date=26 November 2020 |language=en}}

Militancy

Mir was associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed in 1994, and got early access to Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.{{cite news |last1=Syed |first1=Baqir Sajjad |date=25 June 2022 |title=Top LeT man Sajid Mir quietly held, jailed in terror financing case |language=en |work=DAWN |publisher=Dawn |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1696600 |access-date=25 June 2022}} With the protection of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), he also planned terror attacks in the United States, France, Australia and Denmark (the latter for the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy).{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Shishir |date=24 June 2022 |title='Dead' 26/11 planner Sajid Mir comes alive in Pak but Masood Azhar still untraceable |language=en |work=Hindustan Times |publisher=Hindustan Times |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/dead-mumbai-26-11-attack-planner-sajid-mir-comes-alive-in-pak-but-masood-azhar-still-untraceable-101656072338838.html |access-date=25 June 2022}}

= Terrorism plot in Australia =

Sajid Mir plotted a terrorist attack in Australia in 2003. For the attack plan, Mir recruited Willie Brigitte, a French national who converted to Islam and joined Lashkar-e-Taiba. Willie also funded him to travel to Australia in May 2003. Afterwards, in October 2003, Brigitte was arrested by Sydney police and deported to France, where, in 2007, he was convicted and sentenced to nine years of imprisonment for the charge of 'associating with terrorists',{{Cite book |last1=Gani |first1=Miriam |title=Fresh perspectives on the 'war on terror' |last2=Mathew |first2=Penelope |publisher=ANU E Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-921313-74-5 |location=Canberra |pages=292 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Burke |first1=Paul |title=Global jihadist terrorism : terrorist groups, zones of armed conflict and national counter-terrorism strategies |last2=Elnakhala |first2=Doaa' |last3=Miller |first3=Seumas |publisher=USA Edward Elgar Publishing Limited |year=2021 |isbn=9781800371293 |location=Cheltenham, UK; Northampton, Massachusetts |pages=102 |language=en}} and Sajid Mir was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment.{{Cite book |last1=McSherry |first1=Bernadette |title=Regulating Deviance : The Redirection of Criminalisation and the Futures of Criminal Law |last2=Norrie |first2=Alan W |last3=Bronitt |first3=Simon |publisher=Hart Pub. |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-84731-476-5 |location=Oxford |pages=145 |language=English}} Willie Brigitte, who used to train Lashkar-e-Taiba members, confessed that Sajid Mir was well known by the Pakistan Army and that Mir never had any problems roaming in the Pakistan Army's areas.{{Cite book |last=Fair |first=C. Christine |title=In Their Own Words : Understanding Lashkar-e-Tayyaba |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2019 |isbn=978-0-19-949521-4 |volume=1 |location=Oxford |pages=92 |language=en |author-link=C. Christine Fair}}

= 2008 Mumbai attacks =

Sajid Mir was the chief plotter of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. To carry out the attack, Mir recruited David Coleman Headley (Daood Sayed Gilani) and assisted Headley in visiting Mumbai prior to the attacks.{{cite news |last1=Glanz |first1=James |author-link=James Glanz |last2=Rotella |first2=Sebastian |author-link2=Sebastian Rotella |last3=Sanger |first3=David E. |author-link3=David E. Sanger |date=22 December 2014 |title=In 2008 Mumbai Attacks, Piles of Spy Data, but an Uncompleted Puzzle |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/world/asia/in-2008-mumbai-attacks-piles-of-spy-data-but-an-uncompleted-puzzle.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=25 June 2022}} After the terror attack, the FBI listed Sajid Mir as a most wanted terrorist for aiding and abetting, bombing places of public use, providing material support to terrorists, injuring foreign government property, killing citizens outside the United States, and other terrorist activities. Mir has a bounty of US $5 million, as declared by the FBI.{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Rishika |title=Explained: Who is Sajid Mir, the 26/11 planner reportedly arrested in Pakistan? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sajid-mir-26-11-planner-reportedly-arrested-in-pakistan-7989314/ |access-date=25 June 2022 |work=The Indian Express |publisher=The Indian Express |date=25 June 2022 |language=en}} In 2012, Sayed Zabiuddin Ansari revealed in interrogation that Sajid Mir had visited India in 2005 with a fake name and passport under the cricket diplomacy to watch the India-Pakistan ODI Cricket match at Mohali. Ansari further revealed that after visiting several places in India, Sajid Mir prepared Taj Hotel's miniature model to familiarize the attackers with the hotel.{{cite news |last1=Tiwary |first1=Deeptimaan |title=Pakistan used cricket diplomacy to survey terror targets|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pakistan-used-cricket-diplomacy-to-survey-terror-targets/articleshow/14514152.cms |access-date=25 June 2022 |work=The Times of India |date=30 June 2012 |language=en}} In 2020, India sought the extradition of Sajid Mir, but Pakistan did not respond.{{cite news |last1=Miglani |first1=Sanjeev |title=India seeks extradition from Pakistan of suspected Mumbai attack mastermind |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-pakistan-militant-idUSKBN23Z0IL |access-date=25 June 2022 |work=Reuters |publisher=Reuters |date=28 June 2020 |language=en}}

Arrest and conviction

Pakistan earlier denied Mir's presence in their country, and later claimed he was dead, but in 2022, Pakistan arrested him.{{cite news |last1=Khan |first1=Wajahat S. |author-link=Wajahat Saeed Khan |date=24 June 2022 |title=Pakistan holds 'dead' alleged mastermind of 2008 Mumbai attacks |work=Nikkei Asia |publisher=The Nikkei |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Terrorism/Pakistan-holds-dead-alleged-mastermind-of-2008-Mumbai-attacks |url-access=registration |access-date=25 June 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Subramanian |first1=Nirupama |last2=Tiwary |first2=Deeptiman |date=25 June 2022 |title=26/11 planner Sajid Mir is in Pak custody, years after it claimed he died |language=en |work=The Indian Express |publisher=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/26-11-planner-sajid-mir-is-in-pak-custody-years-after-it-claimed-he-died-7989732/ |access-date=25 June 2022}} An anti-terrorism court in Lahore convicted Mir and sentenced him to 15 years of imprisonment with a fine of Pakistani Rs 4,20,000 in a terror financing case. Pakistan reported to the global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that they have arrested and convicted Mir and sought removal of Pakistan from the 'Grey list' of the FATF.{{cite news |last1=Zulqernain |first1=M |date=25 June 2022 |title=Mumbai terror attack handler jailed for 15 years in Pakistan |language=en |work=The Week |publisher=The Week |url=https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/international/2022/06/25/fgn85-pak-mumbai-terror-attacker-jailed.html |access-date=25 June 2022}}

In December 2023, it was reported that Mir was poisoned in prison.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-05 |title=Pak 'Fools' FATF: 26/11 Plotter, Lashkar Commander Sajid Mir 'Poisoned' In Jail {{!}} Watch |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/pak-fools-fatf-26-11-plotter-lashkar-commander-sajid-mir-poisoned-in-jail-watch-101701761294292.html |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Sajid Mir, key conspirator of Mumbai 26/11 attacks poisoned inside Pakistan's jail {{!}} TOI Original - Times of India Videos |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/toi-original/sajid-mir-key-conspirator-of-mumbai-26/11-attacks-poisoned-inside-pakistans-jail/videoshow/105744788.cms |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}

In popular culture

Sajid Mir was portrayed by Mir Sarwar in the 2015 Indian film Phantom.{{cite web |title=Phantom Cast & Crew |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/phantom/cast/ |website=Bollywood Hungama |date=28 August 2015 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Meet the villains of 'Phantom' - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/meet-the-villains-of-phantom/articleshow/48641316.cms |access-date=11 July 2022 |work=The Times of India |date=24 August 2015 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Pacheco |first1=Sunitra |title=Will Saif Ali Khan-Katrina Kaif's 'Phantom' be as successful as Kabir Khan's last? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/will-saif-ali-khan-katrina-kaifs-phantom-be-as-successful-as-kabir-khans-last/ |access-date=11 July 2022 |work=The Indian Express |publisher=The Indian Express |date=28 August 2015 |language=en}}