The United States on Friday demanded that Pakistan arrest Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, hours after the Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief was released from house arrest.

“The Pakistani government should make sure he is arrested and charged for his crimes,” US State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement, Reuters reported.

Nauert said the Lashkar-e-Taiba group, for which Saeed’s Jamaat-ud-Dawa is believed to be a front, is a designated foreign terrorist organisation responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent civilians in terrorist attacks.

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Saeed was under house arrest since January. On Wednesday, the Lahore High Court ordered Saeed’s release from house arrest, just days before the ninth anniversary of the 2008 terror attack on November 26. The deadly strike had killed 166 people.

‘Developing relations with Modi was treason’

Soon after his release on Friday, Saeed criticised ousted Pakistani Prime Nawaz Sharif for “developing close relations with [Indian Prime Minister] Narendra Modi”, The Hindu reported.

“I want to tell you, you were ousted from power because you committed treason for trying to develop close relations with Modi, who is the killer of hundreds of Muslims,” Saeed said during a prayer sermon in Lahore.

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He later addressed supporters outside his house and vowed to continue his fight to “free Kashmir”. “Although there are only a few days left in this year, we will continue our struggle in the next year and mobilise people and take forward our movement to free Kashmir.”

On Thursday, India criticised Pakistan’s lack of seriousness in bringing terrorists to justice. “Saeed’s release appears to be an attempt by the Pakistani system to mainstream proscribed terrorists,” Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. “It is evident that Pakistan has not changed its policy of shielding and supporting non-state actors, and its true face is visible for all to see.”