Pakistan charges seven over Mumbai massacre
Seven men were charged in Pakistan today over last year’s Mumbai terror attacks.
The anti-terrorism court hearing came on the eve of the first anniversary of the attacks on hotels, a train station and other targets that terrorised the city for three days and killed 166 people.
The seven suspects pleaded not guilty to helping plan and execute the attacks.
The men, allegedly belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group, could face the death penalty if convicted. Two of the defendants, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and Zarrar Shah, have been accused by India of masterminding the attack.
Previously Islamabad has failed to punish militants suspected of attacks on targets in India.
The country’s security agencies have a long history of supporting Lashkar and other militant groups to use as proxies against the much larger Indian army in the disputed region of Kashmir. The government says it no longer does this, but many powerful Pakistani politicians and army officers are believed to remain sympathetic to groups attacking India.
India is trying the lone surviving gunman, Ajmal Kasab, who also faces the death penalty if convicted.
According to evidence in that trial, the group of 10 attackers landed in Mumbai after setting sail from the Pakistani port city of Karachi. They are alleged to have kept in contact with handlers in Pakistan during the siege via telephone.
Today’s charges come as Pakistan’s army wages a major offensive against Islamic militants on its north-western frontier with Afghanistan – an action welcomed by the United States and other Western nations.
The court proceedings took place behind closed doors at a maximum-security prison not far from the capital Islamabad and the case was adjourned until next month.
Lawyers for the suspects have said they are unable to disclose any details of the charges against the men.
India has sent Pakistan dossiers of what it says is evidence linking Pakistani nationals with the attack, included Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, who remains free.
The Mumbai attacks halted a peace process between the nuclear-armed rivals which had eased tensions but made slow progress in resolving the Kashmir issue since it began in 2004. India says Pakistan must crack down on militants before it can resume talks.
